Murders and shootings in New York City are at historic lows according to new NYPD numbers released for May. The data shows major crime dropped more than ten percent in May compared to the same month last year, marking a significant decline across the city.
Overall crime across New York City is down more than six percent year to date. The Bronx recorded the biggest drop in crime among the five boroughs, reflecting the impact of recent policing changes in the area.
Auto theft fell more than twenty-seven percent compared to last year. Robberies declined more than fifteen percent, and burglaries were down more than thirteen percent, according to the NYPD statistics.
The improvements come as the NYPD rolled out a major restructuring of patrol operations in the Bronx. Last month, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the creation of separate Bronx North and Bronx South patrol commands.
However, transit crime tells a different story in the Bronx. Crime on public transport surged thirty-nine percent in the north Bronx and more than eleven percent in the south Bronx, a sharp contrast to the overall decline in street-level crime.
Hate crimes are also up across New York City, with more reported incidents than at the same time last year. The NYPD did not provide a detailed breakdown of hate crime categories in the latest statistics release.
The new Bronx North and Bronx South patrol commands were created as part of the NYPD's effort to address crime patterns at a more localised level. The restructuring is the most significant change to Bronx policing operations in recent years, according to the department.