By Denelle Confair | dconfair@kveo.com
Published 10/09 2015 04:25PM
Updated 10/12 2015 09:09AM
BROWNSVILLE, Texas
Being a border town, Brownsville and McAllen might be a city you expect to find the highest amount of crimes in.
Congressman Henry Cuellar announced on Friday the latest FBI crime statistics for the Texas border region.
It reports McAllen and Brownsville as some of the lowest cities for reported murders.
"Many people, both in the political arena and out, mischaracterize the southern border region as very unsafe," Congressman Cuellar said. "But today's numbers, for yet another year, paint a very different picture."
The rate is done per population of 100,000 residents. Houston ranks high at 10.9, McAllen ranks at 4.34 and Brownsville at only 2.73.
While one resident we shared the statistics with didn't believe the numbers other Brownsville residents didn't seem too surprised.
" I've been living here in 14 years and I don't see any crime," Emelipa Cox said.
KVEO asked residents why they thought Brownsville was so low.
"I think we have a good presence of authority. Police are around quite a bit. We do have CBP around. We have a lot of protection around the city," Alfredo Hinojosa said
The Brownsville Police Department told KVEO that they have noticed crime rates continuing to decrease in Brownsville.
"It's great for us. I think that our officers try to do the best that we can and we pride ourselves in the numbers we have," J.J. Trevino said.
Brownsville and McAllen were also on the low end of cities with aggravated assaults although the report doesn't take into account population.
"Within our city we try to be transparent so they are aware exactly of what our department is doing," Trevino said.
He says that way the community can continue to work to keep Brownsville safe.
VIDEO: http://www.rgvproud.com/news/local-news/fbi-reports-low-crime-in-rgv