On Tuesday, the New Haven Police Department discussed their 2019 End of Year Statistics to inform the public about the total number of crimes and the 2020 vision for the department.
In front of a packed crowd, New Haven’s Chief of Police along with district managers presented information about their fight to cut down crime in Elm City.
Chief of Police Otoniel Reyes said that the department is working hard to foster more relationships with the community.
“We have to have a mindset of safety with our people,” said Reyes. “We are working on our engagement and we have to work to reinforce that partnerships are imperative to moving in the future,”
New numbers released show a 15% increase in violent crimes inside New Haven. In 2018, 883 crimes were reported and in 2019, 1,080 crimes were reported.
Statistics show that motor vehicle thefts are also on the rise. Last year, 601 motor vehicle thefts were reported. In 2019, more than 648 have taken place.
Another alarming statistic is the number of aggravated assaults jumping from 496 last year to 605 this year.
Tyrone Allen lives in New Haven and has taken heed of the uptick in crimes but believes it starts with the community.
“The cops can’t be everywhere and if the cops can’t be everywhere, community can be everywhere,” said Allen. “The violence is out of control but it’s getting in control.”
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Allen believes the best way to move forward is to work together with New Haven’s police department.
“If everybody can come together as one, it’ll be beneficial,” said Allen. “We need to treat everybody like they are our neighbor or a friend and not like an enemy.”
Reyes announced that the New Haven Police Department has been working to listen to community members after some backlash.
“Our community was really fed up with the response from our officers,” said Chief Reyes. “They really were frustrated with they perceived to be a lack of response from the police department.”
Those concerns didn’t go unnoticed, because the department has partnered with community groups like Project Longevity and Project Neighborhood. The department’s efforts are hoping to alleviate the upward trend of crime in the city.
“If we want our communities to feel safe, quality of life is where it is at,” said Reyes.
Reyes said that in the future his goal is to host more forums with the community to hear more from the community and improve relationships with those inside the Elm City.
For the entire the 2019 End of Year Statistics on Crime, click here.