New data shows crime is down over the last decade in Connecticut.
“I guess I haven’t noticed much crime,” Eric McCorey of Windsor said.
A report released on Monday by the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) shows that during the last ten years, overall crime was down 30%, including a 43% reduction in violent crime, and a 29% reduction in property crimes.
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We asked local residents if they feel safe living in Connecticut.
“Oh yeah, I feel safe. I’ve been here all my life,” Hector Soto of Hartford said.
State officials say there was also a 3% drop in overall crime from 2020 to 2021. However, during that same time period, the report shows a 23% increase in sexual abuse crimes and 2% increase in homicides.
“One crime, one murder is obviously just one too many. I know what it does to our community,” Gov. Ned Lamont said.
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Some community members said the state still needs more of a police presence, specifically in major cities like Hartford. Lamont said it’s an issue they are tackling.
“I think when it comes to training and getting more folks on the beat, we are doing our best to hire more state police,” Lamont said.
Over the last four years, the Connecticut State Police Training Academy has graduated 333 new state troopers, and 33 more troopers are expected to graduate by the end of October.
“I think you need officers to come to work and do their job and these numbers are evident that they are. That is a very, very positive trend to see,” DESPP Commissioner James Rovella said.
Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly and Senate Republican Paul Formica released a statement, saying in-part:
"Violence and crime remain a crisis in communities across our state. New Haven just had its deadliest year in a decade. Last week, Hartford marked its 28th homicide, which puts the city on track to have the highest homicide rate in 19 years."
The senators are advocating for changes that include intervention, job opportunity and law enforcement support.
