New Haven Independent

Posted by: anon | August 28, 2009 4:02 PM

"The number of traffic tickets and arrests so far this year has increased by 77 percent over last year."

Nice work, Chief. This might be the reason for part of the drop in other crimes. The traffic stops catch a lot of illegal guns, and if you look closely at the #s, the drivers who tend to commit offenses often are doing other illegal things (like driving with no license).

Also, many studies have proven the "broken windows" theory on crime. So please, give us more traffic tickets, better enforcement on property and graffiti, and please stop the motorcycle noise and ATVs too.

And in the meantime, can you post a breakdown of all arrests and tickets by neighborhood and type, so we can see where your activity is targeted? The online crime log here is great, but it doesn't give you all the details on which offenses are which.

Posted by: Charlie O'Keefe | August 28, 2009 7:32 PM

I'm sorry I don't believe it. I witnessed 3 serious incidents this year that never appeared this site's crime maps. I looked for them specially to learn what was going down. I think there has been intentional under reporting.

Posted by: STYLENE | August 28, 2009 7:47 PM

Sounds like someone is cooking the books. No doubt the chief has brought a well needed breath of fresh air to the new haven police dept, but let's be realistic.........seems like crime is on the rise when I look out my window. And I live in a "better part" of New Haven. Maybe "we" are seeing the glass half full. In which case it's good to be positive. But let's do positive's hair with a reality comb.

Posted by: anon | August 29, 2009 1:12 PM

Yes, I agree. Great work. I am cautiously optimistic that the department is heading in the right direction.

Posted by: Westville Mom | August 29, 2009 4:11 PM

Congratulations to New Haven on some very good news, for a change. So much for the well-worn theory about crime levels being a direct result of the economy. These results would seem to refute that tired misapprehension once and for all.

As for the FBI stats--this has been a pet peeve of this commenter for a long time and I, for one, am happy to see some accountability taking shape.

Posted by: Read between the Lines | August 29, 2009 10:14 PM

Crime always goes down in an election year. Its a fact of life. The statistics are massaged more.

The important 10% in this story is the shootings. Police have solved a whopping 10% of cases. If you want to shoot someone in town you have a 90% chance of getting away with it. Now that makes me feel real safe.

Posted by: Deserted Mother | August 29, 2009 10:41 PM

If not paying child support was in the crime stats they would have shot up.

Posted by: Bassett Street | August 30, 2009 3:08 AM

What planet they get them statistics from. Not round here it aint. Put this story next to a drug bust make things look good. Plain racist. Makes African Americans look bad.

Posted by: Been Called Worse | August 30, 2009 11:29 AM

I commend the PD for finally getting caught up on crime stat reporting, which has not been done for a number of years. At one point they were atleast two years behind. This was no easy task.

Read Between The Lines - If this is a fact of life, please, show me the numbers supporting your fact.

Deserted Mother - not paying child support is not a category of crime reported to or by the FBI so it would not show up here.

Bassett Street - Crime being down makes African Americans look bad? Interesting theory. How many stories apart would these 2 stories need to be reported for you to not consider it racist?

Posted by: Norton Street | August 30, 2009 1:01 PM

Read between the lines,
Theres a good chance that someone committing crimes will inevitably be the victim of a crime. Sooner or later some will get at the person. The crimes that most effect citizens are property crimes; violent crimes really only occur between a small community of repeat offenders and convicted felons, look at the stats.
This doesn't even account for people on parole or probation, or just in the system:
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs135.snc1/5780_1127780229797_1085910074_30334994_5124947_n.jpg

Basset Street,
I can't speak for your street specifically, but crime is way down from 15-20 years ago. There is a very noticeable difference in my area now than when I was growing up. Crime stats can be cooked but not by 10%. There is also the issue of people not reporting every crime that occurs, but again that cannot account for 10%.

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs155.snc1/5780_1127779389776_1085910074_30334992_5785016_n.jpg