Halifax residents say the latest crime statistics prove local police forces are facing an uphill battle and need more resources to fight career criminals.

In Halifax, overall crime is down nine per cent, but Halifax Regional Police said violent crime spiked six per cent last year compared to 2010 – thanks in part to a record-breaking 18 homicides.

Halifax residents say it suggests anti-crime initiatives are working, except where the hardened criminal element is concerned.

“The police have a tough time. There are all kinds of guns out there. They’re doing the best they can do,” said one man, who said he used to work with police.

“The police need a lot more help in solving a lot more cases. The police need the public to come forth and give them as much help as they can,” said Kevin.

However, not everyone says they would report a crime or give information to police about a crime.

“No,” said one woman, sitting in her car. “It depends on the area you live in. Sometimes you see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Sometimes it’s best not to see anything.”

“I usually weigh if it would affect people in the future or not and if I want to get involved,” said Mike.

While Halifax’s violent crime rates are up, Statistics Canada says the rate of crimes reported to police in Canada reached its lowest level in 40 years in 2011.

The agency says police services reported nearly two million incidents last year, about 110,000 fewer than in 2010.

The severity of crime index, a tool used to measure the extent of serious crime in Canada, also dropped by six per cent.

Halifax’s homicide rate is highest in the country next to Winnipeg, and above the national average.

Some HRM residents say it’s not fair to compare Halifax with other cities.

“I think every city is different and they have their own problems, so I can’t really compare them to other cities,” said Mike. “I’ve lived in other cities and they are a lot different.”

Cst. Brian Palmeter of Halifax Regional Police says the numbers so far for 2012 seem to be improving greatly.

“In the first six months of 2012, we’ve seen a 30 per cent decrease in attempted homicides and a 30 per cent decrease in homicides compared to the same time period last year,” he said. “We’ve also seized 30 per cent more guns in the first six months of 2012 compared to that same time period last year.”

Palmeter said the majority of homicides in HRM are tied to the drug trade.