NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Overall crime in New York City dropped nearly 20 percent in the last two weeks of March as the city and state implemented measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
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The NYPD said Thursday that crime was down across the city, including in the transit and public housing systems.
The drop in crime corresponded with emergency measures put in place by local and state officials last month. Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency on March 12 and banned large gatherings. On March 20, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered nonessential businesses to keep 100 percent of their workforce at home, essentially shutting down the city.
“The shift from the time the city declared a state of emergency is clear,” the NYPD said in its report Thursday.
From March 1 through March 11, overall index crime increased by 27.8 percent (2,934 vs. 2,296) when compared to the same period a year ago, the department said.
But from March 12 through March 31, overall index crime decreased by 19.9 percent (3,740 vs. 4,670) when compared to the same period in 2019.
The NYPD said it continues to monitor hate crimes fueled by fear over the coronavirus. That includes crimes targeting Asian-Americans over their race and crimes targeting people believed to have the coronavirus, which the NYPD has designated as anti-disability.
The NYPD said its Hate Crime Task Force has investigated 11 cases targeting Asian-Americans since the outbreak began. Arrests have been made in seven of those cases.