Murder Rate Up

The 2009 murder rate in Louisville Metro is running higher than in recent years.Between January 1st and April 21st of this year there were 21 murders in Louisville. That's up from 17 in the same time period last year and 13 the previous year.Metro Police spokesperson Phil Russell says the increase is not indicative of a crime wave, but the department is concerned. Despite the increase, he says Louisville still has a lower rate than some similar sized cities."Per 10,000, if you compare us to other cities like Nashville or Indianapolis or Cincinnati our numbers are lower actually than Nashville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Baltimore, St. Louis," he says. "In 2008 we were the lowest of those, per 10,000 – homicide rates per 10,000 of population."Russell says the local murder rate has remained much lower than the numbers recorded in the city and county prior to the government merger in 2003.