Printer Friendly Format Email a Friend


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 172-07
June 4, 2007

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND POLICE COMMISSIONER KELLY ANNOUNCE NEW YORK CITY REMAINS THE SAFEST BIG CITY IN AMERICA AND CONTINUES TO DEFY NATIONAL CRIME TREND

FBI's Report for 2006 Shows 5.3% Drop in Overall Crime in New York City in 2006 Violent Crime Fell 4.6% in City Compared to National Increase of 1.3%. Property Crime Fell 5.6% in City Compared to National Decline of 2.9%.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly today announced that New York City continues to reduce crime to levels not seen in decades and remains the safest big city in America according to the FBI's Preliminary Crime Report for 2006.  New York City's continued decline in violent crime defies the national trend. According to the report, the City experienced a 5.3% drop in overall Index Crime comparing 2006 and 2005 bringing the cumulative decrease from 2001 to 22.1%.

"Crime continues to come down in New York City, even as it goes up in other parts of the country," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The hard work and innovative strategies of the NYPD are effective, but we will not rest on these successes. We will continue to give the police the tools they need to push crime down even further, while continuing to protect the City from the threat of terrorism."

"The men and women of the NYPD are responsible for another year of successful crime fighting," said Commissioner Kelly. "As they have year after year, they responded admirably in 2006, often putting themselves at grave risk to drive crime down to historic lows. The trend continues this year with an 8.5% reduction so far, making New York City the envy of large cities everywhere."

During 2006, violent crime fell 4.6% in the City, compared to a national increase of 1.3%, while property crime fell 5.6% in the City, compared to national decline of 2.9%.

For 2006, the total crime index in New York City was 2,517.1 crimes per 100,000 people.  Out of the 244 U.S. cities with a population of 100,000 or more that reported to the FBI and where a Total Index Crime could be computed, New York City ranked 230th between Fontana, California and Huntington Beach, California. Out of the nation's 25 largest cities, New York ranked safest based upon Total Index Crime rate per 100,000 population.

% Change 2006 vs. 2005

Nationwide  Crime  New York City
0.3%  Murder  10.6%
-1.9%  Rape  -24.2%
6.0%  Robbery  -4.9%
-0.7%  Assault  -3.7%
1.3%  Violent Crime  -4.6%
0.2%  Burglary  -4.6%
-3.5%  Larceny Theft  -4.6%
-4.7%  Motor Vehicle Theft  -13.3%
-2.9%  Property Crime  -5.6%
-2.4% (est.)  Total Index  -5.3%

The following chart shows where New York City ranked in the Total Crime Index for the nation's ten largest cities that report to the FBI.

Rank Year End 2006 City Rate/100,000
1 Dallas 8,063.5
2 Houston 7,006.8
3 San Antonio 6,702.0
4 Phoenix 6,672.0
5 Philadelphia 5,837.5
6 Las Vegas 5,650.2
7 San Diego 4,073.1
8 Los Angeles 3,505.3
9 San Jose 3,020.0
10 New York 2,517.1






MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser / Jason Post   (212) 788-2958

Paul Browne   (NYPD)
(646) 610-8989




More Resources