The FBI says that Irvine is again the safest city in the nation with the lowest rate of violent crime for any city with a population of 250,000 or more, based on the Bureau's 2016 data. That's the 12th consecutive year Irvine has earned the Safest City accolade. "The men and women of the Irvine Police Department are consummate professionals who time and again exceed expectations in their service to our community," said Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel. "The importance of the Irvine Police Department's partnership with the community can't be overstated, Hamel continued. "The dedication of our residents to participate in crime prevention efforts has been critically important to preserving the quality of life we have all come to appreciate." What's that you say? You read NextDoor and other online sources and it feels like Irvine isn't as safe as it once was? So you doubt the FBI, in other words. To regain a sense of calm and carry on, we recommend reading a recent OC Register story titled "Is Irvine Becoming Less Safe?" The short answer is "no." John Hipp, a criminology professor at UCI who studies crime in the city was quoted in the story: "I've heard people say it's getting worse and there's just no evidence of that," he said. If, however, you enjoy a good fright, just scroll down to the comments at the end of the online version of the piece.