Sound Shore

Violent crime continued to drop in the City of New Rochelle last year, according to the city’s police department, which released its annual report for 2009. The department reported that violent crimes went down 15 percent, robberies went down 28 percent, and larceny dropped 19 percent compared to 2008.

One area that had an increase in incidents was burglary, which went up 12 percent. In 2009, there were 206 incidents of burglary versus 179 in 2008. (The numbers in a press release were slightly different than the report. Lt. Cosmo Costa said that was likely due to a late adjustment in numbers.) Carroll said the deparment would tackle the rise by using more unmarked units and doing more field interviews. He expected that cameras planned for the downtown area would also help. Auto theft also went up slightly, from 92 to 97.

Overall, New Rochelle was the fifth safest city in the country for its size, said Police Commissioner Patrick Carroll, citing figures from the U.S. Department of Justice.  The figures also dispel the notion that these types of crimes would rise in light of the bleak economy, Carroll said.

“The downward trend is not just particular to New Rochelle but nationwide, as police forces become more influential in their communities,” Carroll said. “Overall, policing has become more efficient, leading to more precise deployment of resources and a much safer environment for all.” Read the report here: annualreport2009