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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 332-06
September 18, 2006

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND POLICE COMMISSIONER KELLY ANNOUNCE NEW YORK CITY IS AGAIN THE SAFEST BIG CITY IN AMERICA ACCORDING TO 2005 FBI UNIFORM CRIME REPORT

City Continues to Get Safer Even as Violent Crime Increases Nationally
FBI Statistics Show 4.3% Drop in Overall Crime in New York City in 2005;

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly today announced that New York City continues to reduce overall crime to levels not seen in decades and remains the safest big city in America, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report for 2005.  The report shows that the City experienced a 4.3% drop in overall crime last year, bringing the cumulative decrease from 2001 to 17.7%. In addition, the FBI’s report shows that violent crime increased nationwide by 2.3%, the largest increase since 1991.  In New York City, however, violent crime continued to drop, falling 1.9%, while property crime fell 5.1% in the City, compared with a national decline of 1.5%.

“Today’s final 2005 report by the FBI shows that our innovative efforts to reduce crime and increase New Yorkers’ quality of life are working,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “With cutting-edge technologies like the Real Time Crime Center coupled with future technology enhancements such as the Public Safety Wireless Network, we’re ensuring that the men and women of the New York City Police Department have the resources to continue to make America’s safest big city even safer.”

“The report documents the outstanding work New York City police officers are doing in suppressing crime,” said Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.

For 2005, the total crime index in New York City was 2675.5 crimes per 100,000 people. Out of the 245 cities with a population of 100,000 or more that reported to the FBI, New York City ranked 228th between Edison Township, New Jersey and Fremont, California. Out of the nation’s 10 largest cities, New York City ranked 10th with the lowest Index Crime rate per 100,000 population.  Out of the nation’s 25 largest cities, New York ranked 25th based upon Index Crime rate.

% Change from 2004 - 2005

Nationwide

Crime

New York City

3.4%

Murder

-5.4%

-1.2%

Rape

-1.1%

3.9%

Robbery

1.4%

1.8%

Assault

-4.7%

2.3%

VIOLENT CRIME

-1.9%

0.5%

Burglary

-11.1%

-2.3%

Larceny Theft

-2.5%

-0.2%

Motor Vehicle Theft

-12.8%

-1.5%

PROPERTY CRIME

- 5.1%

-1.2%

TOTAL INDEX

-4.3%


The following chart shows where New York City ranked in the Total Crime Index for the nation’s largest cities.

Rank Year End 2005 City Rate/100,000
1 Dallas 8484.4
2 Phoenix 7094.0
3 San Antonio 7082.2
4 Houston 7059.2
5 Las Vegas 5581.9
6 Philadelphia 5569.1
7 San Diego 4151.7
8 Los Angeles 3850.4
9 San Jose 2901.8
10 New York 2675.5






MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser/Virginia Lam   (212) 788-2958



GENERAL CONTACT:

Paul Browne   (Police Department)
(646) 610-6700


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