A new study ranked Fort Lauderdale as the second most dangerous city in the United States, but a recent announcement by the city’s police department says otherwise.
Fort Lauderdale landed in the 181st spot on WalletHub’s list of the 182 "Safest Cities in America" list for 2018.
One day after the study was released, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department proudly announced that crime in the city decreased 14.5 percent during the first half of the year. The department cited the increased proactive patrols, traffic enforcement, traditional policing methods, and the implementation of new technology as key contributors in the city’s reduction of crime.
"I give this credit to the men and women of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department for their tireless commitment to making Fort Lauderdale safer," Chief Rick Maglione said in a statement.
Overall, crime in Broward County dropped 12.8 percent in 2018, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department says it is dedicated to continue the downward trend of crime in the city.
Miami was ranked at 131 on the list and Hialeah came in at 75, while Pembroke Pines landed in the 29th spot.
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St. Louis, Missouri was ranked as the least safest city in the country, and Columbia, Maryland was named the safest.
The study compared more than 150 of the most populated cities in the country across three key areas including home and community safety, natural-disaster risk, and financial risk.
