Crime in New York City

[BxOne]

No doubt that a lot of these numbers are fudged or narrowly defined. But if there really is a grand scheme to dupe New Yorkers into thinking that crime is down by watering down the crime index, the police can't have been carrying it on for fifteen years without anyone noticing.

Real Estate hype, making the mayor look good. People notice, but no one gives a shit. People in the high crime areas have definately noticed. I remember the Washington Heights community bashed Bloomberg over his claims on dropping crime.

I've noticed this in the news...

It seems like every day now there are reports of shootings.

A few were double shootings -- homicide / suicide.

Are a lot of these drug related?

For whatever reason the shootings are happening, the rising numbers seem to show that desperate times are upon us.

Many shootings are drug related. Many are over disputes.

Why are shootings up?

I'll tell you why. In the past we had a unit known as "Street Crime". It was a unit of 100 expert anti-gun officers. They could smell a gun from 2 blocks away...well in reality they had a number of gun collars in their careers. They could tell if a perp was carrying a gun by looking at the way they walk/hold themselves.

Eventually, some dumbass thought "If 100 cops can give us these resualts, imagine what 400 can do". So they added 300 rookies to the unit.

In 1999, Soundview section of the Bronx, Midnight tour. Rookie street crime officers were looking guns. This area has a lot of gun crime. They traveled down Westchester Avenue, make a left in Wheeler, stumbled on Diallo, who happend to look like the most deadly serial rapist in NYC. Responsible for dozens of rapes (70 something?). Who just happend to live in the Soundview community. 4 plain clothed officers jump out. The immigrant is scared and reaches for I.D. The officers open fire, 41 shots, killing him. The area was not well lit, and in the heat of the moment, they mistook the wallet for a gun.

After this, the street crime unit disbanded. Anti-gun patrols were left to precinct patrols. Rookies, nothing as proffesional as the Street Crime Unit.

After 5 years, you see the effects. Guns are more common then they were in the 90s. Shootings are up. More people hit by strays.

You see in the past, you had to be real careful walking around with a gun. You would hide it, in the mailbox in the lobby, roof, stairway. Today the criminals know, they can carry guns on them and don't have to be worried about being tossed.

Instead of getting into a fight and going for their guns, where they can cool down, stopped by a friend, distracted. They carry their guns on them. In a dispute, this equals a shooting victim.

[TLOZ Link5]

Real Estate hype, making the mayor look good. People notice, but no one gives a shit. People in the high crime areas have definately noticed. I remember the Washington Heights community bashed Bloomberg over his claims on dropping crime.

My best friend happens to live in Washington Heights, on Pinehurst Avenue. He hasn't gone out and said that the claims of plummeting crime are an utter fallacy, but he does admit that he feels safer now than he did even a few years ago. I've been to the neighborhood several times, mostly at night (going again tonight), and I like it. When I went into Fort Tryon Park with him one night, there were still a lot of people walking around.

I'm not doubting you, Bx. I know that there are a lot of untruths and half-truths to the news about the drop in crime. But there's no doubt in my mind that the city has generally changed for the better. (On a personal note: weren't you on SkyscraperCity for a while? I like you; it's good that you challenge us.)

Even if shootings can be covered up, murders themselves are hard to "disappear" (death certificates and all), as are GTAs (a report of a stolen vehicle needs to be filed). Assaults, robberies and thefts are very easy to gussy up, no doubts there; perhaps the same can be said with burglaries. And rapes are ridiculously undercounted nationwide anyway. Maybe at the start of 2006 I'll begin a tally of all the murders reported in the news and see how it stacks up compared to the NYPD's statistics.

In any case, however, I'm wondering if maybe it isn't a bad idea to start easing restrictions on private ownership of firearms. I feel fine without a gun, but far be it from me to deny anyone else their right to defend themselves. What does everyone think, or is that a subject better consigned to a separate thread?

[TLOZ Link5]

Are you talking about the forum software?

Yeah, for some reason my whole post never came up, so I had to make it a lot shorter. Might have had something to do with the rain here; who knows.

[BxOne]

My best friend happens to live in Washington Heights, on Pinehurst Avenue. He hasn't gone out and said that the claims of plummeting crime are an utter fallacy, but he does admit that he feels safer now than he did even a few years ago. I've been to the neighborhood several times, mostly at night (going again tonight), and I like it. When I went into Fort Tryon Park with him one night, there were still a lot of people walking around.

I'm not doubting you, Bx. I know that there are a lot of untruths and half-truths to the news about the drop in crime. But there's no doubt in my mind that the city has generally changed for the better. (On a personal note: weren't you on SkyscraperCity for a while? I like you; it's good that you challenge us.)

Even if shootings can be covered up, murders themselves are hard to "disappear" (death certificates and all), as are GTAs (a report of a stolen vehicle needs to be filed). Assaults, robberies and thefts are very easy to gussy up, no doubts there; perhaps the same can be said with burglaries. And rapes are ridiculously undercounted nationwide anyway. Maybe at the start of 2006 I'll begin a tally of all the murders reported in the news and see how it stacks up compared to the NYPD's statistics.

In any case, however, I'm wondering if maybe it isn't a bad idea to start easing restrictions on private ownership of firearms. I feel fine without a gun, but far be it from me to deny anyone else their right to defend themselves. What does everyone think, or is that a subject better consigned to a separate thread?

I don't know if your friend lived in Washington Heights in the late 80's and early 90's. These were the neighborhoods hardest times, especially in the 160th Streets. Things there haven't changed much.

My cusin grew up in Washington Heights, only Puerto Rican. Never the victim of a crime there. She wasn't a drug dealer, she wasn't a crack head. She would mind her business. School, work, going to a friends house. Never a victim. To her, nothing was different. She would hear gunshots every once and a while, but she still does.

If you mind your business and stay street smart you will never be the victim of a crime. Sadly 1-in-5 New Yorkers are, most people aren't street smart, put themselves in a bad situation, or just have bad luck. These are the people who get mugged, shot, killed.

Statistcally, WH is safer now then it was. The crack epidemic is over and less drug dealers are killing each other. Demand is down, but it's still there. Which is why we contiue to see killings.

However, statistics are ****ed, becuase of downgrading crimes. Washington Heights has seen many more shootings, yet assualts, murders and robberies are down?

Crime is up since 1999. Every year its higher and higher.

---

It appears crimes like Murders and Rapes are hard to hide and cover up. However it isn't so. To classify a D.O.A. a homicide, the body is taken to the hospital by EMS. The detectives can only declare a homicide after they MEs take a look at it. Well, sometimes this can take a while. Months even before they can decide weather it was a homicide or natural causes. Sometimes it's obvious, bullet to the head. However sometimes its hard. Here is an example.

A few months ago a man fell infront of a train. He was known to suffer from mental illness. They classified it a suicide, becuase he had is watch, money in wallet.

Months later, they discovered he guy had been hit in the head. It turned out someone punched the guy in the head and he fell in front of the train. A homicide.

The numbers on Compstat won't be updated to reflect this. Fooling Compstat is just about hiding numbers.

G.L.A's. They call the precinct all the time looking for stolen vehicle reports. Somehow...we can't find them.

Robberies are downgraded all the time. To Petit Larc. Same with many Burgs.

Assualts are downgraded to Misd assualt 3, when you are shooting someone with a whole clip, it's attempted murder (Ass 1), not un intentional.

---

Homicides are down though. Why? Becuase we have improved medical techniques. More tramua centers. EMS is very well trained and can save your life. They also respond quicker becuase they patrol the neighborhood.

People are getting shot, 9-10 times and living. I have a good story a Harlem cop told me. This is how it is these days.

In Harlem, some kid comes into the precinct. Gunshot wound to the shoulder. He is rushed to the hospital. They discover two more bullets in the back of his head. He makes it out fine, then identifies the shooter. They interogate the guy, and he confeses.

A week later, kid come back. He was stabbed in the neck. They rush him to the hospital. He identifies the perp, guy confeses. Again kid is fine.

A few weeks pass, kid comes in AGAIN. He was shot about 4 times. They rush him to the hospital, I.D.s the shooter. They bring in a kid, kid denys it. He said he didn't do shit. They decide to cut him loose.

This guy who keeps getting shot and stabbed is a known drug dealer, so they are investigating weather he was just ratting random rival dealers instead of the gus who really did it (That he didn't know who did shoot/stab him).

Point is, people are getting shot a hell of a lot more and living. **** 50 cent, some guy on my block was shot twice to the back of his head, lived. It's very common now.

[TLOZ Link5]

I don't know if your friend lived in Washington Heights in the late 80's and early 90's. These were the neighborhoods hardest times, especially in the 160th Streets. Things there haven't changed much.

Yes, he's 21 and has lived in the neighborhood his whole life.

My cusin grew up in Washington Heights, only Puerto Rican. Never the victim of a crime there. She wasn't a drug dealer, she wasn't a crack head. She would mind her business. School, work, going to a friends house. Never a victim. To her, nothing was different. She would hear gunshots every once and a while, but she still does.

The same goes for my friend. He and his family have done very well for themselves. He's a senior at NYU, his sister's a sophomore at Cornell, his older brother works and his little brother is still in high school. In case you're wondering, they're half Peruvian, quarter Puerto Rican, and quarter Mexican.

If you mind your business and stay street smart you will never be the victim of a crime. Sadly 1-in-5 New Yorkers are, most people aren't street smart, put themselves in a bad situation, or just have bad luck. These are the people who get mugged, shot, killed.

That, of course, goes without saying. Most victims know their attackers and/or have a criminal record. It's the same anywhere, no?

Statistcally, WH is safer now then it was. The crack epidemic is over and less drug dealers are killing each other. Demand is down, but it's still there. Which is why we contiue to see killings.

However, statistics are ****ed, becuase of downgrading crimes. Washington Heights has seen many more shootings, yet assualts, murders and robberies are down?

You said it yourself; improved medical care has saved the lives of shooting victims.

Crime is up since 1999. Every year its higher and higher.

Based on your professional opinion, what percentage of crimes that would otherwise be counted as felonies are actually recorded? Just curious.

---

It appears crimes like Murders and Rapes are hard to hide and cover up. However it isn't so. To classify a D.O.A. a homicide, the body is taken to the hospital by EMS. The detectives can only declare a homicide after they MEs take a look at it. Well, sometimes this can take a while. Months even before they can decide weather it was a homicide or natural causes. Sometimes it's obvious, bullet to the head.

Yes, but aren't there also cases where someone commits suicide and relatives might report it to the police as a homicide because their religious beliefs find suicide taboo?

However sometimes its hard. Here is an example.

A few months ago a man fell infront of a train. He was known to suffer from mental illness. They classified it a suicide, becuase he had is watch, money in wallet.

Months later, they discovered he guy had been hit in the head. It turned out someone punched the guy in the head and he fell in front of the train. A homicide.

But you must admit that that's a very rare occurrence.

The numbers on Compstat won't be updated to reflect this. Fooling Compstat is just about hiding numbers.

What do you think can be done to correct it?

G.L.A's. They call the precinct all the time looking for stolen vehicle reports. Somehow...we can't find them.

I'll have to grant that because I don't have experience in that field.

Robberies are downgraded all the time. To Petit Larc. Same with many Burgs.

Like I said...

Assualts are downgraded to Misd assualt 3, when you are shooting someone with a whole clip, it's attempted murder (Ass 1), not un intentional.

Are misdemeanor statistics ever collected?

I'll skip the improved medical care part of your response because I already touched on it.

Just out of curiosity, why not publish a book on this? Frank Serpico has made a name for himself as an NYPD gadfly and muckraker. If what you say is true, then the NYPD is in need of another expose.

[BxOne]

If you are a police officer as you say you are (or at least you tried to get that point across), then I no longer have faith in the NYPD if they have people like you working for them. You have provided ZERO proof as to any of these stories that you tell. I dont even think you live in New York. You talk about all of these things that have happend, and why criminals do what they do, but the only explanation for what you say would be that you are a criminal yourself, or you are just stating plain old common sense. Posting a random article about a person getting assaulted is not proof. If I said there were 3000 murders in Harlem alone last year, and then posted some article about a person getting killed in Hunts Point, there is a huge ass difference. You are one of the few forum members here that I can not profile BxOne. For that I owe you a congradulations. I cannot figure out if you are - actually a person that does slum work for the police department and therefore you decide to concider yourself part of it and refer to you and them as 'we', and after working you come home for no reason and go to New York forums after a hard days work and only contribute by saying when where (often filling in question marks and unknown buildings in replace of the actual building) why people got shot, - Or, you are simply someone who had a bad experience in New York while visiting and you feel the need to say what is wrong with the city when given a chance, as you are trying to get more people to hate the city. - Or if you have a different story. Maybe you live in Los Angeles or Boston (That wasnt a question). Theres typos in there somewhere, Im not going back to look for them.

Hahaha

Is something wrong with you, that you can't accept a little reality. Things are not always as they seem. It makes sense to downgrade crime. Why? to boost real estate value. How else will you get housing up across the street from housing projects. To make the mayor look good, a mayor with the media in his back pocket. The two stories I presented are true. The first one Happend at the Whitlock Avenue train station along the 6 line in the Bronx. It happend a few months ago. The second story happend in Harlem at the 28th precinct, a year ago.

NYC is much improved. Not becuase of Guliani and especially not Bloomberg. NYC is a better city becuase of the people who live in this city. Ed Kotch is the guy who HELPED changed this city, if there was no Ed Kotch, the Bronx would still be in a 70's state. You relize most of the housing in the Bronx is public housing. Low income housing, many which went up in the 70's and 80's. After Robert Moses put up a ton in the 50's and 60's. Same can be said for East NY and Brownsvile.

Crime in NYC dropped until 98'. It slowly began to rise after that. A natural upward wave in crime. Then in 00' it suddenly spiked down. For absolutely no reason. An increase in downgrading thanks to Ray Kelly. He backs the mayor 100%, the guy guarentees his job.

People in NYC are poorer now then they were in the past. There are more poor as well. Incarceration rates are higher now then ever. More guns on the streets, more robberies, more crime. It is a scandel, a scandel that the next mayor will have to suffer from. The next guy will be blamed for destroying our city. it won't be until then people start to realize whats going on. Right now the problems are being felt only in low income communities. Like how the Mott Haven section of the Bronx had a 50% increase in gunshot victims this year. When people in White neighborhoods start gettin robbed more often, then people will notice there is a problem.

Compstat has existed for decades under another name, Pin Mapping. This technique has existed for decades.

Heres another one. You do realize NYPD uses quotas right??? Even though they are against the law.

---

Police Decide Subway Death Wasn't Suicide.

(New York-WABC, August 26, 2005) - A murder mystery on the subway. Cops found the body of a 66 -year- old man underneath a Number 6 train in Crotona Park back in May. What at first appeared to be a suicide police now say is a homicide. Eyewitness News reporter Joe Torres spoke to the victim's family and has more from the Bronx.

The family of Enrique Soriano says they knew it all along, that his death was not a suicide. Now police say they were right.
Thursday, after careful analysis of toxicology reports and the victim's body, the medical examiner said the injuries to the man's hands and head were not consistent with a suicide. So now police are looking for a killer. Luis Soriano, Victim's Son: "I really don't think anybody would want to hurt him. He didn't start trouble with anybody. He wasn't a person who was in the streets starting problems. He was from work to home and that's about it."
//

Police flyers asking for the public's help are now posted throughout the Whitlock Avenue subway station where Soriano died. And on one flyer there is a response. It says, 'I never saw this sign in May.'
On his way to work as a baggage handler at LaGuardia Airport, Enrique Soriano would call home from the platform to let the family know he was fine. He made that call the day he died, but he told his wife he noticed something odd.
Son: "There's three guys here, but he really didn't emphasize more on it. He just said there were three men. And she told him not to worry, it'll be okay, the train would be there in five minutes."
Besides pushing Soriano in front of a #6 train, the killers also took some cash and his beloved gold chain and cross he wore around his neck.
Rosa Soriano, Victim's Wife: "Yo lo unico que quiero es que sera justicia, que cojan a los que hicieron eso y hagan lo que tienen que hacerles." "I want justice," said Soriano's wife Rosa, "that they catch whoever did this and do with them what they have to do."

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?se...ews&id=3385476

[BxOne]

Im not saying crime in New York is not a problem. That would be the last thing I say. The other forum members here know I dont like drugs, and seeing how New York is a huge city, there are huge amounts of drugs here. Im saying, I dont like you. Flat out I dont like you. I wont dress it up like alot of people here do. You dont dress up the stories you post. Ranch Dressing. Finally you posted a link, but you forgot one for these 'The second story happend in Harlem at the 28th precinct, a year ago'. Link please. But I WILL NOT believe something just because you say its true, and you provide a precint. Dont expect people to not believe something and then go out and research it, thats your part as a poster that if you want people to believe you, give a link. Look at my posts, do I look like someone that doesnt think there are problems in New York? Ive never really touched on domestic issues, usually just internation, terrorism ones. Im one of the most paraniod mother****ers youll ever meet. Italian Dressing.

The second story is no big deal. A guy in Harlem got shot. That happends all the time. An officer from the 2-8 told me that story. I see it in my own precinct all the time. These ****s just won't die these days.

I have no idea why you don't like me, mabey it's becuase I shut you down on another topic. I have no problem with you, becuase I don't know you. Meaning I don't care. I'm just here sharing the knowledge I have. It's up to you to belive me or not.

[BxOne]

Yes, he's 21 and has lived in the neighborhood his whole life..

Good so things shouldn't feel too different for him. He can walk down the street now or then, same shit. You walk up to a group of teens on a stoop now or then, spit at them, and you are going to get your ass beat. No change in that. Drugs still available everywhere. Same as then. A lot of the same old issues.

The same goes for my friend. He and his family have done very well for themselves. He's a senior at NYU, his sister's a sophomore at Cornell, his older brother works and his little brother is still in high school. In case you're wondering, they're half Peruvian, quarter Puerto Rican, and quarter Mexican..

Crazy mix. Good for him though.

That, of course, goes without saying. Most victims know their attackers and/or have a criminal record. It's the same anywhere, no?.

True.

You said it yourself; improved medical care has saved the lives of shooting victims..

Yes, but shootings are up, over the last 5 years. That means if homicides aren't going up, we should see an increase in assualts.

Based on your professional opinion, what percentage of crimes that would otherwise be counted as felonies are actually recorded? Just curious..

Most, but when they can downgrade, they do it. You see, Popeye puts constant pressure on Capts to lower numbers, that puts pressure on Lt's, to Sgts, then goes to cops and Dt's in the street.

---

Yes, but aren't there also cases where someone commits suicide and relatives might report it to the police as a homicide because their religious beliefs find suicide taboo?.

Victims don't classify their own crimes. That's up to the cop or the squad.

But you must admit that that's a very rare occurrence..

This particular case is rare. downgrading occurs whenever possible.

What do you think can be done to correct it?.

It can easily be changed. They just won't. It's all about total numbers come January 1st and the end of each month.

I'll have to grant that because I don't have experience in that field..

Simple, people call. No report filed. Or it is classified incorrectly.

Like I said....

Yup, damn people robbing cell phones. It's epidemic in the south Bronx and Harlem.

Are misdemeanor statistics ever collected?.

On the precinct level. We file away all reports. Even reports from the 70's, good reads.

Misd are up like you wouldn't belive. Since felonies are downgraded.

I'll skip the improved medical care part of your response because I already touched on it..

A lot of lives have been saved.

Just out of curiosity, why not publish a book on this? Frank Serpico has made a name for himself as an NYPD gadfly and muckraker. If what you say is true, then the NYPD is in need of another expose.

I'm no writer, as you can see. Even my knowledge is limited, a retired cop should come out with it soon. A lot of cops are retiring too. All cops know about it anyway.

Damn too much quoting. Haha.

[TLOZ Link5]

Damn too much quoting. Haha.

Sorry. Heh.

[BxOne]

The good old 65-95 era was wild. However if you were a homebody, nothing would happen to you. Same thing now.

It's okay with the quoting though.

[TLOZ Link5]

Bullets keep flying in my backyard

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005

by Errol Lewis

Exactly two weeks after the Daily News published my concerns about raising my son in a rough neighborhood - Crown Heights - where crime is on the rise, the front-page story was about one of my neighbors, Police Officer Wiener Philippe, getting robbed and shot on St. Johns Place by a thieving lowlife who remained at large as of yesterday afternoon.
The NYPD's command staff must now match Philippe's bravery with concerted action.

After years of headlines touting historic declines in crime, the latest numbers in Brooklyn's Crown Heights and Prospect Heights neighborhoods paint a much less rosy picture.

In the 77th Precinct, where I live, there were 15 murders last year - way down from 1989, when 70 people were murdered, but still an unacceptable 66% increase from 1998. In the neighboring 71st, which covers lower Crown Heights, there have been 18 murders this year, an eye-popping 157% increase from last year.

These numbers, while alarming, do not capture the reality of life in a neighborhood where gun violence threatens to spin out of control.

Reality is tragedies like that of Benny Lyde, a senior at Long Island University, who remains paralyzed and comatose after being shot on Lincoln Place in September.

Or 35-year-old Kirk Probossing, who was fatally gunned down outside a barbershop on Empire Blvd. in June.

Or Linell Plair, a 29-year-old aspiring rapper and father of four, who was shot to death at a pre-Father's Day cookout at Ebbets Field housing complex.

Among the most heart-wrenching was the killing of Hyacinth Cespedes, a 54-year-old grandmother who got around in a wheelchair after being shot during a robbery two decades ago - only to die in August of this year when a bullet struck her during the crossfire of a Crown Heights gunfight.

Even the nonfatal violence is horrifying. Raphaelina Smith, a 12-year-old walking home from Public School 12 with her 8-year-old brother, took a bullet in the spine when a gunfight broke out on Sterling Place last spring. Schoolchildren are now all too aware of the inability of grownups to protect them.

Every time shots go off and blood is spilled in Crown Heights, many middle-class families - including my wife and me - ask, once again, if it's time to give in, give up and move out.

But I'm inspired by the many neighbors who have written to me, prepared to take a stand against gun violence in our midst.

In future columns, I hope to share good news about joint actions that good people can take to turn the situation around.

Our fight has just begun.

©2005 New York Daily News

[krulltime]

^ Wow... what a story. I never been to Crown Heights. I wonder if there is new market rate development happening in that part of Brooklyn.

[ZippyTheChimp]

New York City Likely To Report Lowest Homicide Rate Since 1963

BY ELIZABETH SOLOMONT - Special to the Sun
December 28, 2005
URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/25038

This year, New York City likely will report its lowest rate of homicides in more than four decades, according to recently released police data. Fulfilling police and law enforcement predictions over the past few months, the year-end crime statistics are on track to reflect the lowest homicide rate in the city since 1963, when 549 homicides were reported.

According to police data, the city's total crime rate declined in nearly every category, with 528 murders reported through December 25, down 5.5% from 559 reported during the same time period last year. The crime indexes that reflected the largest drops were burglary, with 23,395 reported cases, down 11.4% from 26,423 this time last year, and grand larceny auto, which had 17,586 incidents this year, an 11.8% drop from 19,955 reported this time last year, according to police data.

Robbery was the only crime category that rose, with a 0.8% increase to 23,948 from 23,786 this time last year, police data indicated.

Police Inspector Michael Coan yesterday said several factors contributed to the low statistical reports. "Crime has decreased over 5% this year, and 18% the last four years. This reflects the outstanding efforts of the men and women of the NYPD," he said.

Specifically, Inspector Coan credited several police initiatives, including Operation Impact, which infuses high crime police precincts with additional officers, and Operation Trident, which dispatches extra officers to three neighborhoods with high crime rates.

In East New York's 75th Precinct, which reported some 100 annual homicides during the 1990s, the 3,391 total crimes reported this year to date reflect a 12.29% decrease from 3,866 crimes reported this time last year. The precint ranks sixth in crime reduction out of 76 police commands in the city, Inspector Coan said. Through December 25, there were 29 reported homicides, the same number reported this time last year, just before the precinct implemented Operation Trident.

Yesterday, the president of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, Thomas Repetto, said the city's low crime rates could be attributed to police officials who have focused resources in the most desperate areas, and have "probably done the best job of any Police Department in the United States in reducing crime and keeping it down."

Still, some police precincts that historically report high murder rates reported an increase in homicides, in contrast to the citywide trend.

In Bedford-Stuyvesant's 79th police precinct, where three people were killed within 48 hours last week, police reported 24 homicides through December 25, up 50% from 16 homicides reported this time last year. In the Bronx's 46th police precinct, police data reported that 22 murders occurred, up from 18 this time last year.

Police did not explain yesterday what caused those spikes, but Inspector Coan said that the overall crime rates in those precincts were down. In Bedford-Stuyvesant's 79th Precinct, "overall crime is down 3% this year and 16% in the last four years," he said. Homicides in the Bronx's 46th Precinct "are down more than 65% in the last 12 years, despite an increase in the last two years," he said.

But City Council Member Letitia James, of the Working Families Party in Brooklyn, who represents part of Bedford-Stuyvesant, said police should expand Operation Impact into more police precincts in Central Brooklyn. "It doesn't surprise me that overall crime is down," she said. "However, there are still pockets where too many violent crimes are occurring."

[TLOZ Link5]

Next year, we should shoot for below five hundred.

[lofter1]

Bloomberg Gunning For The NRA

NY 1
January 08, 2006

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index...id=1&aid=56160#


Mayor Michael Bloomberg has the NRA in his sights as he continues his quest to get illegal guns off of New York streets.

The Daily News reports the mayor is looking to rally other big city mayors to join his fight getting illegal guns off the streets.

Experts tell the paper, success against the National Rifle Association and the powerful gun lobby depends on if and how much of his personal fortune the mayor is willing to spend on his crusade.

The mayor made gun control one of the focuses of his inaugural speech last week.

A spokesman for the mayor tells the paper the mayor is looking into every resource at his disposal in order to stop the flow of illegal guns.

Copyright © 2005 NY1 News. All rights reserved.