LITTLE ELM, Texas - The 2011 edition of the FBI's annual Uniform Crime Report (UCR) has been released, and in the category of cities with populations over 25,000 the report finds that Little Elm has placed number 18 in terms of the lowest number of violent and property crimes in the nation, according to Chief of Police Waylan Rhodes.

When listing all Texas cities that fit the population category, Little Elm has the lowest number of combined violent and property crimes of any in the state. The report takes the raw number of these specific crimes and develops a ratio of crimes per 1,000 population to arrive at the rankings.

"A number of factors play into our Town's excellent results. Certainly, the pride that homeowners have in their neighborhoods is important, resulting in reliable reporting of criminal or suspicious activity. Just as important, though, our police force is composed of dedicated, highly-trained personnel who strive to be at their best each and every day. And, of course, the unqualified support and commitment the department receives from the Town Council is essential to our success," said Chief Rhodes.

Crimes used as a basis for the report include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, murder, forcible rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault.

The city's 2011 total of 14 violent crimes and 228 property crimes, as defined by the FBI's program, gives Little Elm a score of 84, meaning that the Town is safer than 84 percent of cities over 25,000 in population in the entire U.S. When compared to cities and towns in Texas in that category, Little Elm is the safest by a slim margin.

"The residents' attitude toward crime and other illegal activity in Little Elm is highly commendable. Every day, our officers are witness to a stern intolerance of such behavior in virtually all neighborhoods," said the Chief.

The Little Elm Police Department has 36 sworn full-time police officers, including the Chief, three reserve officers, three staff members, six jailers, and two animal control officers.

"We develop partnerships with residents to sponsor and promote programs that address crime prevention like Neighborhood Crime Watch, Business Crime Watch and National Night Out, among a number of others prevention and education programs. The positive FBI report gives us the incentive to continue to develop these crime prevention programs and ensure that we maintain and even improve our standing," he concluded.

ABOUT LITTLE ELM - Little Elm is one of the state's fastest growing communities. Nestled on the shores of Lake Lewisville, the Town was incorporated in 1966, adopting the Council/Manager form of government. The population increased dramatically over the last several years, growing from under 4,000 in 2000 to over 30,000 today. Little Elm's population exceeds the state average in education and income, and is increasingly trending younger and technologically proficient. The Town's footprint is just over 14 square miles and boasts some 66 linear miles of shoreline within its boundaries.