Frankfort Named One Of State's Safest Cities For 2018: Report

FRANKFORT, IL — Thanks to one of the lowest instances of violent crime in the state, Frankfort was named one of the safest cities in Illinois for 2018, according to a study by the National Council for Home Safety and Security. The village was 46th on the list of 206 communities, a slight drop from last year's No. 37 ranking by the group.

Frankfort also rated the safest among its Lincoln-Way area neighbors, listing ahead of New Lenox (68) and Mokena (70). Of the surrounding south suburban communities, Palos Hills and Palos Heights ranked the highest at No. 10 and No. 15, respectively. Orland Park was listed the lowest at 132nd.

“Our police department works very hard on safety and security for our residents," Mayor Jim Holland said in a statement about the ranking. "They are constantly looking for ways to improve communication to our residents to increase their efforts for a safe community.”

Here's a breakdown of the numbers evaluated by the council's study, which were compiled by using the most recent FBI crime statistics:

Lincoln-Way Area

Frankfort (No. 46)

• Population: 18,822
• Violent Crimes: 8
• Property Crimes: 185
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.43
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 9.83

New Lenox (68)

• Population: 26,085
• Violent Crimes: 25
• Property Crimes: 302
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.96
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 11.58

Mokena (70)

• Population: 20,156
• Violent Crimes: 5
• Property Crimes: 261
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.25
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 12.95

Other South Suburbs

Palos Hills (No. 10)

• Population: 17,578
• Violent Crimes: 16
• Property Crimes: 84
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.91
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 4.78

Palos Heights (15)

• Population: 12,549
• Violent Crimes: 2
• Property Crimes: 87
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.16
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 6.93

Oak Forest (63)

• Population: 28,088
• Violent Crimes: 42
• Property Crimes: 300
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.50
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 10.68

Tinley Park (82)

• Population: 57,213
• Violent Crimes: 48
• Property Crimes: 766
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.84
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 13.39

Orland Park (132)

• Population: 59,009
• Violent Crimes: 25
• Property Crimes: 1,335
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.42
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 22.62

Country Club Hills (158)

• Population: 16,844
• Violent Crimes: 74
• Property Crimes: 416
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 4.39
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 24.70

Homewood (162)

• Population: 19,379
• Violent Crimes: 38
• Property Crimes: 569
• Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.96
• Property Crimes per 1,000: 29.36

To determine the rankings, the council looked at a community's federal crime and population data. The study then examined the total of violent crime reports — aggravated assault, murder, rape and robbery — and the total of property crimes — burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft per 1,000 people. Because of their severity, violent crime stats were weighted more in created the rankings.

RELATED: Illinois' Safest Towns: 2018 Rankings

Towns with incomplete crime data or that had a population fewer than 10,000 population were not included on the list. Flossmoor was not included in the rankings.

According to the list, the top five safest cities in the state were Western Springs, Channahon, Campton Hills, Waterloo and Homer Glen. The bottom five communities included Springfield, Rockford, East St. Louis, Mount Vernon, Lansing and Danville. Chicago was No. 195 on the list.

Go to the National Council for Home Safety and Security's website for the full list.

Photo by Joe Vince | Patch archive