City statistics showing that the once-declining number of violent crimes in Reading began to edge up in 2012 drew a variety of reactions Thursday from city, county and community leaders.
Most agreed the trend means it is even more pressing to work on the follow-up ideas coming from last week’s crime summit.
Released Wednesday, the statistics also show crime is less than it was a decade ago.
But that brought a warning: Don’t accept the situation as the city’s new normal.