Newark Police reported another sharp drop in crime in 2013,
Comparing the time period of January 1st, 2013 through December 31st, 2013 to the same time period in 2012, robberies have decreased by 35.6%, aggravated assaults have decreased by 5%, and burglaries dropped by 35.81%, Thefts have decreased by 3.42%. In looking at figures from 2006 to 2013 the city has seen nearly a 63% drop in robberies, a 60% drop in aggravated assaults, a 51% decrease in burglaries and a 22% decrease in thefts.
Car thefts, while up slightly from 2012, are down 78% from 2006 as technology made the crime far more difficult.
The city has not seen a reported murder since 2010. Wilmington recorded two in the first few days of 2014.
Chief Paul Tiernan attributess the drop in crime to a number of factors including the aggressive patrol techniques by the Uniformed Patrol Division, Street Crimes Unit, and Traffic Unit, as well as the creation of the Special Operations Unit, which was established to identify and address quality of life issues in chronic problem areas.
The continued reduction in more serious crime can also be contributed to the development of the Crime Suppression Plan. This plan, started in 2008, involves using crime analysis to assign officers to small patrol sectors during peak call for service times in specific areas of the city. This plan increases officer visibility and allows for a quicker response to crimes in progress.
In additon, the department continues to increase their use of technology including a network of surveillance cameras throughout the city. This camera system, which is monitored in the NPD 911 center, is used to dispatch officers to in-progress crimes and has proven to be an invaluable tool in the investigation of criminal and traffic offenses.
The University of Delaware has also beefed up its police force over the years and works with the city in areas such as the camera system.
Tiernan stated: “I am encouraged by the continuing downward trend of violent crime, particularly robberies, in the city of Newark. As we enter 2014, the Newark Police Department remains committed to preventing violent crime and protecting our citizens from those who attempt to prey on the community.”
