A sudden move to reverse years of resistance to installing costly courtroom security in Shakopee is raising the question again today in a Star Tribune story: Is Scott County quietly becoming a scarier place?

Crime statistics seem to offer both a yes and a no answer to the question, the Star Tribune said. As Patch reported in recent months, broadly speaking, crime is tapering off, as it is across the state. But in Shakopee itself, the numbers reflecting the most serious crimes have risen.

“When you factor in all the area attractions we have, you’ll find our crime rate is more than respectable,” Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate told Patch in late December, referring to Shakopee’s added population through visitors to Canterbury Park, Valleyfair and Renaissance Festival.

The city recorded no homicides in 2011.