STERLING HEIGHTS – For the sixth consecutive year, Sterling Heights has been ranked the safest city in Michigan, according to the FBI’s annual crime report for cities with populations of more than 100,000.

Michigan has seven cities above that threshold: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Lansing and Dearborn.

According to the FBI report, Sterling Heights — home to about 134,000 residents — recorded the lowest crime rates in 2024 compared to its peers, both in property crimes and violent crimes.

In a press release, Sterling Heights Mayor Michael C. Taylor described the findings as proof of “what we call the Sterling Standard”, attributing the city’s ongoing success to proactive policing, community engagement and initiatives to improve quality of life.

“This recognition is the result of the hard work and professionalism of our police department, along with the strong partnership they have built with our residents,” Taylor said. “Public safety has always been the cornerstone of our community, and we remain committed to ensuring that Sterling Heights is not only the safest large city in Michigan but also one of the best places to live, work and raise a family.”

The city also reported the lowest violent crime rate among Michigan’s large communities, with 305 violent crimes in 2024 — just one fewer than Dearborn (306), 15 percent lower than Ann Arbor and 59 percent lower than Warren.

The FBI report also showed a 45 percent drop in property crimes in Sterling Heights between 2023 and 2024, with 1,387 incidents last year — 32 percent fewer than Ann Arbor and 34 percent fewer than Dearborn (which had 2,091). Sterling Heights is also among the safest large cities in the United States overall.

Police Chief Andy Satterfield credited the results to teamwork:

“The safety Sterling Heights enjoys is the product of collaboration and mutual trust with residents, who play a vital role in helping us keep crime low,” he said.

In recent years, the department has hired seven new patrol officers and launched pioneering programs addressing drug abuse, the root cause of many crimes. It also created a Quick Response Team and a Redirection Program, offering treatment for addicts instead of cycling them through jail.

Additionally, the city rolled out a community mental health strategy, including a crisis intervention team with social workers to assist residents with mental health needs.

Comparison with Dearborn

Dearborn, with about 110,000 residents in 2024, ranked second behind Sterling Heights in violent crime reduction, logging 306 violent crimes — just one more than Sterling Heights.

By the numbers, Dearborn recorded one homicide, 38 armed robberies, 27 rapes and 240 assaults. Sterling Heights, with a large Arab and Chaldean population, reported one homicide, 20 armed robberies, 41 rapes and 243 assaults.

Notably, both cities’ single homicides were domestic violence cases: a 31-year-old pregnant woman fatally stabbed by her partner in Sterling Heights and a 70-year-old Arab American woman killed by her son in Dearborn.

For property crimes, Dearborn registered 2,091 total cases in 2024 (118 burglaries, 1,488 thefts, 485 vehicle thefts, 16 arsons). Sterling Heights recorded 1,387 (102 burglaries, 1,050 thefts, 235 vehicle thefts, 7 arsons).

Michigan also has one large township above 100,000 residents: Clinton Township, with about 101,000 people. While it had fewer violent crimes overall (285) than Sterling Heights and Dearborn, it reported four homicides in 2024, including a young man killed in an unlicensed vape warehouse explosion and three others in shootings.