LANSING, MI (AP)-- Michigan has seen a sharp drop in reported crime even as the number of police officers has declined around the state.
Some experts cite a drop in the number of teens and young adults who are the leading lawbreakers, while others say it may indicate a decline in the reporting of crimes.
MLive.com says the number of Michigan crimes reported to the FBI fell 21.9 between 2003 and 2011. It says the number of state, county and local police officers fell 9.5 percent from 2003 to 2012.
Bob Stevenson is executive director of the Michigan Association of Police Chiefs and says observers give many possible explanations for the crime drop, from reductions in lead that causes brain damage to children to quicker crime reporting with cellphones.
