CRIME DROP CONTINUES

CRIME DROP CONTINUES

Despite a year that saw New York City's economy go into a downward spiral, reported crimes fell in six local police precincts and across the five boroughs in 2008, according to crime statistics released by the NYPD last week.

Based on information provided through the NYPD's CompStat program, violent crimes and major felonies plunged by four percent year-to-date through last Sunday, Dec. 21. It marked the 18th consecutive year in which crime dropped throughout the Big Apple.

The city-wide crime report was announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly following an NYPD promotion ceremony last Tuesday, Dec. 23 at One Police Plaza in lower Manhattan.

While the number of murders increased city-wide by five percent in 2008, the mayor and police commissioner noted that the city was on track to tally the second-lowest number of homicides since the NYPD began keeping records in 1963. (The all-time low was attained last year.)

"The continuing reduction in crime is a testament to the quality of our police force—the finest in the world—and to our determination to find innovative ways of turning up the heat on criminals," Bloomberg said. "In the months after 9/11— when the economic outlook was particularly bleak—we were determined to make our streets safer and more livable. Thanks to the men and women of the NYPD, we achieved it."

Kelly credited technological advances acquired and introduced to the NYPD over the last several years, including the creation of the department's Real Time Crime Center, in helping the force achieve reductions in crime once thought impossible to achieve in New York City.

"By the end of 2008, crime has been cut by more than 28 percent from where it stood in 2001," Kelly said. "We've experienced the second lowest murder rate (last year was the lowest) since comparable records were kept, beginning 45 years ago. Subway crime is the lowest in memory. We have a great deal to celebrate and for which to be grateful as the year comes to a close."

Along with the increase in murders through the city, robberies were also on the rise throughout the five boroughs in 2008, as the NYPD recorded a two-percent increase for the year. Even so, the department tallied drops of up to eight percent in the other five major crime categories: rape, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and auto theft.

Overall crime also fell by three percent in public housing projects and by four percent throughout the New York City subway system, according to the Mayor's office. Since 2001, felonies have dropped in both areas by 23 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

Area report

Locally, of the seven precincts in the Times Newsweekly's coverage area—the 83rd, 102nd, 104th, 106th, 108th, 110th and 112th— crime fell in six of the commands, according to statistics released by CompStat for the year concluding on Dec. 21.

The 108th Precinct based in Long Island City—which also patrols Sunnyside, Woodside and areas of Maspeth—experienced the largest percentage decrease in overall crime for the year. In all, 1,300 felonies were reported to the command, down nearly 20 percent from their 2007 total.

Double-digit percentage declines were reported by the 108th Precinct in four major crime categories: rapes (down 33 percent, from 15 to 10 incidents); felony assaults (down 16.7 percent, from 131 to 109); burglaries (down 13.8 percent, from 325 to 280) and auto thefts (down 19.5 percent, from 261 to 210).

Categories which rose for the year were murder (from one to three incidents) and robberies (up two percent, from 200 to 204). The 108th Precinct also reported 484 grand larcenies, the exact number tallied last year.

The second-greatest decline in crime was reported locally by the 104th Precinct. The Ridgewood, Queens-based command, which also patrols Glendale, Maspeth and Middle Village, tallied 1,623 felonies, a decrease of just over 16 percent for the year.

Two categories experienced double digit decrease drops: felony assaults (down 20 percent, from 155 to 124 cases) and burglaries (down 17.5 percent, from 445 to 367). Auto thefts also declined by 6.6 percent for 2008, from 346 to 323 incidents.

Robberies rose slightly for the year, with 293 cases reported, three more than the number tallied in 2007. Also increasing for the year were rapes (from 12 to 18 incidents, up 16.6 percent) and grand larcenies (from 422 to 494 cases, up 17 percent).

Four homicides occurred in the 104th Precinct, equaling the same number recorded a year ago. As previously reported, each of the homicides in 2008 occurred as a result of a two-alarm arson fire at a Middle Village residence on Fathers' Day Sunday, June 15.

The next largest decrease in crime occurred in the 112th Precinct. The command based in Forest Hills—which also patrols Rego Park—tallied 1,028 total felonies, down nine percent from 2007.

The two crime categories that increased in the precinct were felony assaults (up 42 percent, from 50 to 71) and robberies (up 14.7 percent, from 115 to 132).

All other crime categories dropped in the 112th Precinct, including murders (from three to one); rapes (from six to three); burglaries (down 31.3 percent, from 262 to 180 cases); grand larcenies (down 12.8 percent, from 575 to 501) and auto thefts (down nine percent, from 154 to 140).

The fourth-greatest decrease was reported locally by the 110th Precinct, which is based in Elmhurst and also patrols parts of Corona and Jackson Heights. In all, 1,909 crimes were reported, a drop of just over 8.8 percent in the last year.

Though crime increased in four major categories—robberies (up 0.5 percent, from 381 to 383 incidents); felony assaults (up 15.2 percent, from 216 to 249); grand larcenies (up 3.4 percent, from 722 to 747); and auto thefts (up 2.4 percent, from 163 to 167)—the overall drop was carried by double-digit decreases in rapes (down 23.2 percent, from 43 to 33) and burglaries (down 23.4 percent, from 426 to 326).

Four murders were reported by the 110th Precinct in 2008, matching the total that occurred in 2007.

The next largest decrease was recorded by the 106th Precinct based in Ozone Park, which covers areas of the neighborhood as well as Howard Beach, Lindenwood, South Ozone Park and parts of Richmond Hill.

For the year, crime dropped in the 106th Precinct by just over 8.7 percent, with a total of 1,503 felonies reported. The category that experienced the largest decrease was felony assaults, which dropped by nearly 25 percent from 187 to 141 cases.

Three other categories which declined for the year included rapes (down five percent, from 20 to 19); burglaries (down 8.5 percent, from 327 to 299) and auto thefts (down 1.9 percent, from 310 to 304).

Robberies rose by nearly nine percent throughout the 106th Precinct for the year, with a total of 337 thefts reported, up from 310 tallied in 2007. Also increasing were grand larcenies (up 4.2 percent, from 380 to 396 cases) and murders (from three to seven).

Crime also fell in the 83rd Precinct, which patrols Bushwick and Ridgewood, Brooklyn. In all, 1,804 felonies were reported for the year concluding on Dec. 21, a decrease of just over one percent since 2007.

Four major crime categories plunged throughout the command for the year: murders (down nine percent, from 11 to 10 cases); rapes (down 13.7 percent, from 29 to 25); felony assaults (down 6.4 percent, from 372 to 348) and burglaries (down seven percent, from 469 to 436).

Increasing for the year were robberies (up 2.8 percent, from 423 to 435 cases); grand larcenies (up three percent, from 329 to 339) and auto thefts (up 8.2 percent, from 195 to 211).

The lone local precinct which saw an increase in crime was the 102nd Precinct based in Richmond Hill, which patrols parts of the neighborhood as well as Kew Gardens, Ozone Park and Woodhaven. Even so, that increase was slight, with felonies rising by just over 0.5 percent for the year.

While decreases were reported in felony assaults (down 10 percent, from 230 to 207 cases) and burglaries (down 16 percent, from 381 to 320), crime increased in the other five major categories. Murders rose sharply for the year, with eight homicides reported in 2008, up from just one tallied in 2007.

Also increasing for the year were rapes (up 8.7 percent, from 23 to 25 cases); robberies (up 3.4 percent, from 321 to 332); grand larcenies (up 13.4 percent, from 393 to 446) and auto thefts (up 6.4 percent), from 309 to 329).

NYPD Year-To-Date CompStat Figures For Local Precincts Through Dec. 21 (2007 numbers are in parentheses)

83rd Precinct (Brooklyn)	10	25	435	348	436	339	211	1,804	DOWN
	(11)	(29)	(423)	(372)	(469)	(329)	(195)
(Ridgewood, Bushwick)	down 9%	down 13.7%	up 2.8%	down 6.4%	down 7%	up 3%	up 8.2%	(1,828)	1.31%
104th Precinct (Queens)	4	18	293	124	367	494	323	1,623	DOWN
(Ridgewood, Glendale,	(4)	(12)	(290)	(155)	(445)	(422)	(346)
Maspeth, Middle Village)	even	up 16.6%	up 1%	down 20%	down 17.5%	up 17%	down 6.6%	(1,674)	16.38%
102nd Precinct (Queens)	8	25	332	207	320	446	329	1,667	UP
(Kew Gdns., Ozone Pk.,	(1)	(23)	(321)	(230)	(381)	(393)	(309)
Rich. Hill, Woodhaven)	up 700%	up 8.7%	up 3.4%	down 10%	down 16%	up 13.4%	up 6.4%	(1,658)	0.54%
106th Precinct (Queens)	7	19	337	141	299	396	304	1,503	DOWN
(Howard Beach, Ozone Pk.,	(3)	(20)	(310)	(187)	(327)	(380)	(310)
Rich. Hill, So. Ozone Pk.)	up 133%	down 5%	up 8.7%	down 24.6%	down 8.5%	up 4.2%	down 1.9%	(1,537)	8.74%
108th Precinct (Queens)	3	10	204	109	280	484	210	1,300	DOWN
(Long Is. City, Maspeth,	(1)	(15)	(200)	(131)	(325)	(484)	(261)
Sunnyside, Woodside)	up 200%	down 33%	up 2%	down 16.7%	down 13.8%	even	down 19.5%	(1,417)	19.5%
110th Precinct (Queens)	4	33	383	249	326	747	167	1,909	DOWN
(Corona, Elmhurst	(4)	(43)	(381)	(216)	(426)	(722)	(163)
Jackson Heights)	even	down 23.2%	up 0.5%	up 15.2%	down 23.4%	up 3.4%	up 2.4%	(1,955)	8.83%
112th Precinct (Queens)	1	3	132	71	180	501	140	1,028	DOWN
	(3)	(6)	(115)	(50)	(262)	(575)	(154)
(Rego Park, Forest Hills)	down 67%	down 50%	up 14.7%	up 42%	down 31.3%	down 12.8%	down 9%	(1,165)	9%

 

Source: NYPD CompStat