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84th Precinct is in top 10 in crime reduction in NYC

Murder Rate Is Up, but Overall Crime Is Down

July 19, 2016 By Rob Abruzzese Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Despite reports emphasizing crime near Brooklyn Bridge Park, crime within the 84th Precinct, which includes the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Vinegar Hill and the Farragut Houses, is down more than 13 percent so far in 2016, the ninth biggest decrease among New York City neighborhoods. Eagle photo by Rob Abruzzese
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Crime in the NYPD’s 84th Precinct has gotten a lot of attention lately due to the growth of Brooklyn Bridge Park and recent murders, but overall, major crimes in the area have fallen faster than in almost any other area of New York City.

There have been three murders within the area of the 84th Precinct this year — three more than last year — and robberies are up a whopping 26 percent. However, the rest of the major index crimes — rape, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny auto — are down 13.4 percent for the year, marking the ninth biggest drop in all of the NYPD’s precincts, according to officials.

“We’re in the top 10 in crime reduction for the city — over 13 percent overall — and we just want to let the people in the community of the 84 know that,” Deputy Inspector Sergio Centa told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

“It’s impressive considering the amount of people, the construction, how many more residents are in the command even compared to a year ago,” Centa continued. “We have new hotels in the area, new stores, a mall is opening in August. If you look at the two-year numbers, even five-year numbers, and consider the amount of people that have moved into this area since five years ago, that’s pretty crazy.”

Comparing this year to last year, incidents of rape have dropped from six (at this point last year) to two; felony assault also dropped from 78 incidents to 75. Burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny auto have all seen large drops: 40 percent, 16.1 percent and 48.1 percent, respectively.

“That’s 20 less homes broken into; that’s 13 cars that weren’t stolen this year that were last year,” Centa said. “That might not sound like a lot, but believe me, for those people who didn’t have to go through such traumatic experiences, it’s certainly a big deal.”

Murder and robberies continue to be a problem in the area. Of the murders, two involved domestic disputes, and of those, one was accidental. The third involved an emotionally disturbed person in the YWCA on Third Avenue. Robberies have been a particular problem in Brooklyn Heights, but Centa said that he feels the precinct has made progress in that area recently with increased foot patrol details.

“Any time we see a robbery spike, we put a plan out,” Centa said. “I’ll put more cops in that area. In the case of Brooklyn Heights, I have foot posts in a small area, and it has worked. Since we put that plan into action, we haven’t seen any.”

While crime in Brooklyn Bridge Park always makes headlines, it has decreased overall thanks to the park’s new 16-person detail. Last year, the park had just two to four cops patrolling per day. This year, the 84th Precinct got additional cops who were dedicated just for that area. During festivals or other large events, additional cops from other precincts are assigned to the park to help avoid major problems.

“This past Saturday, we had the hip-hop festival,” Centa said. “There were 5,000 fans and there were no incidents at all. No reported crimes — minor, major, nothing. We work together with the park. They give us a schedule of events and we can plan accordingly. We have a good working relationship with them, and that’s been very important.”

 

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