By Thomas Tracy
A mixed bag of CompStat results released this week shows that as cops throughout Brooklyn celebrated a reduction in crime, not every precinct commander went home happy on New Year’s Day. All told, 66 people were killed in southern Brooklyn in 2006, five more than the previous year, thanks mostly to small spikes of killings in Flatlands, Bensonhurst and Canarsie. Statistics show that homicide numbers in the city jumped 9.2 percent in 2006, from 540 in 2005 to 590. Just over a third of these murders took place in Brooklyn, officials said. Statistics show that 133 homicides were investigated in Brooklyn North. An additional 90 homicides took place in Brooklyn South – five fewer than the year before, according to estimates. While there were two more shooting incidents than last year, from 248 in 2005 to 250 in 2006, officials said that there were seven fewer people were hit by gunfire, 288 down from 295 in 2005. The number of gun arrests throughout the command increased by 25 percent, officials said. “As the year ends, our success is measured by crime reduction statistics,” said Assistant Chief Joseph Fox, the commanding officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South. “Although these measurements are necessary, we can not forget that each crime number represents an actual person that became a victim within our borough. Families and loved one’s lives can become shattered by violent crimes and it is our obligation to pursue the offenders and prevent further criminal behavior.” Looking at the numbers, Brooklyn South saw crime decreases across the board. Along with the five percent drop in crime, there was a nearly 19 percent drop in rape reports, from 226 in 2005 to 184 last year, eight percent drops in both burglaries and robberies (from 4,655 to 4,275 and 4,301 to 3,966 respectively) and a 15 percent drop in car thefts, from 3,622 to 3,062 – or 560 less. “We in Patrol Borough Brooklyn South are proud of our officers and supervisors within the precincts, narcotics and all the specialized units who in conjunction with our community partners continue to reduce crime to record levels,” said Fox, adding that he anticipates that “the hard work and dedication that the members of the New York Police Department, particularly those in Brooklyn South will continue in keeping our city a safe place to live.” Looking over the precinct’s that service southern Brooklyn, the 61st Precinct in Sheepshead Bay quickly catches one’s eye. The precinct saw a staggering 16 percent drop in felony crime in 2006 – the largest reduction in Brooklyn South, officials said. Felony numbers in the 61st Precinct fell across the board, from a 38 percent reduction in rape reports, an 18 percent drop in burglaries, a 15 percent drop in felony assaults and a five percent drop in robberies, from 276 in 2005 to 261 by last December. The precinct is also touting a nearly 24 percent drop in felony crime in two years, as well as a 78 percent crime reduction since 1993, when CompStat tracking was started. Homicide numbers in the 61st Precinct did not dip significantly, but enough to show a 14 percent reduction. Statistics show that six homicides were investigated in the 61st Precinct, which also covered Manhattan Beach, Homecrest and a portion of Midwood. In 2005, seven homicides had occurred, officials said. The 61st Precinct was the only command in Brooklyn South to see such a massive reduction in crime, save for the 76th Precinct in Carroll Gardens, which also saw a 16 percent fall. None of the other precincts in the command celebrated a 10 percent or better reduction in crime, although there were some that came close. Covering Bensonhurst and Bath Beach, the 62nd Precinct saw a nearly nine percent drop in crime, with a 45 percent reductions in rape reports (five fewer than the 11 reported in 2005) a 21 percent reduction in burglaries, a 16 percent fall in felony assaults and a 10 percent drop in car thefts. The number of robberies in the 62nd Precinct increased, however, from 248 in 2005 to 251 in 2006. The 70th Precinct, which covers Flatbush and Midwood saw a nearly seven percent decrease in crime, from 2,949 felony crimes to 2,756, which trickles down to about 193 fewer victims, according to Inspector Thomas Harris, the commanding officer of the 70th Precinct. The largest crime reduction coming out of the Lawrence Avenue stationhouse was in robberies, which saw a drop of nearly 22 percent, from 789 in 2005 to 617 last year. The precinct also saw a sixteen percent drop in car thefts, an eight percent drop in felony assaults and a nearly three percent drop in burglaries. The precinct did see a 68 percent increase in rape reports, from 22 in 2005 to 37 last year, officials said. The number of homicides in the 70th Precinct didn’t change from 2005 to 2006, remaining at 11, officials said. The 68th Precinct in Bay Ridge, the 69th Precinct in Canarsie, the 66th Precinct in Borough Park and the 67th Precinct in East Flatbush all saw reductions of between four and six percent, CompStat statistics show. In that grouping, the 68th Precinct saw a small jump in homicides from one in 2005 to two last year and the 69th Precinct saw a 75 percent jump in murder, from four in 2005 to seven, as well as a 10 percent jump in robberies. The 66th Precinct saw a decrease in homicides from six in 2005 to three last year, but a seven percent increase in burglaries. The 67th Precinct, considered by many as one of the most violent commands in the borough, saw reductions across the board, except in homicides, where they remained at 19 – the same number they had in 2005. Over the last two years, homicide numbers in East Flatbush have dropped by 24 percent, officials said. At the shallower end of the crime reduction pool on New Years Eve were the 60th Precinct in Coney Island and the 63rd Precinct, which covers Flatlands, Marine Park and Mill Basin. Statistics show that the 60th Precinct saw a 36 percent drop in homicides, from eight in 2005 to five last year, as well as a 15 percent reduction in burglaries, but only managed an overall felony reduction of two percent. The low number appeared to be spearheaded by a low 0.2 percent reduction in robberies, as well as a seven percent increase in grand larcenies, which include reports of identity theft as well as purse snatchings and car break-ins. The .50 percent drop in felony crime tabulated at the 63rd Precinct was prompted by a six percent increase in grand larcenies, as well as an eight percent jump in burglaries. But the biggest hit the 63rd Precinct took was in homicides. By the end of the year the command was investigating nine homicides versus just four the year before. The number of rape reports and felony assaults in the command, however, both fell by around 18 percent, statistics show.
