Crime is Down Citywide, But Up in Bed-Stuy

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters at a promotions ceremony last week that overall crime was down 1.5 percent in New York City, compared to last year at this time.

However, with just one month remaining before the end of 2010, the and Police Precincts in Bedford-Stuyvesant show that murders, rapes, robberies and felony assaults in Bedford-Stuyvesant are up this year, compared to last year.

Both precincts declined to comment, as did an NYPD spokesperson.

According to the latest CompStat report, as of November 21st, the 79th Precinct has recorded 28 rapes this year, compared to 21-- an increase of 33.3 percent. Robberies, a total of 395, are up 21.5 percent, compared to 325 last year. Burglaries also are up 21.7 percent at 381 total this year, compared to 313 last year.

Murders are down 7.7 percent, and Felony assaults are down 7.3 percent, showing an overall 8.5 percent increase in reported crime in the 79th Precinct.

In the 81st Precinct district, rapes showed the most dramatic increase, 23 total, compared to 10 last year-- an increase of 130 percent. Murders, 17 total, are up 41.7 percent, compared to 12 last year. And felony assaults are up 29.1 percent, with 288 this year so far, compared to 233 last year.

Burglaries are down 8.3 percent, with 210, compared to last year's figure of 229. And grand larceny auto is down 24.2 percent, with 75 so far, compared to 99 at this same time last year. Overall, crime has increased in the 81st precinct by nine percent.

The 81st Precinct came under heavy scrutiny earlier this year, when a whistleblower police officer publicly alleged that the precinct was deliberately manipulating its crime statistics to look more favorable than they were. An investigation followed, and eventually charges were brought against the commanding officer, along with four other officers, for not recording a grand-larceny auto theft and a robbery complaint.

Although numbers vary across both precincts, robberies and rapes reportedly are up in both precincts. The robberies, in some part, can be attributed to the rash of cell phone thefts amongst high school-aged students, which both precincts reported have increased dramatically in the last two years.  

And although crime had dropped for the City overall, Kelly admitted to seeing increases in rapes, murders and robberies, sharing similar statistics with that of Bed-Stuy.

Kelly also warned against judging the statistical increases without a historical context: Many of the City's overall numbers may have increased, but they still remain at record lows, compared to ten years ago.