NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The NYPD on Thursday announced that for the month of February, New York City saw continued reductions in almost every major index crime category.
“As New York City emerges from one of its most challenging periods, the public safety of all New Yorkers will be essential to our collective success,” NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a statement. “The men and women of the NYPD are resilient and up to the challenge before us. Not only are they going in harm’s way to drive down violence like never before, they are also connecting with the communities they serve in innovative, impactful ways.”
The overall index crime fell 26.5 percent compared with February 2020, according to the NYPD.
There was a 40.4 percent decrease in grand larceny and a 32.7 percent decrease in robbery.
There was also one less murder in February 2021 compared to the previous year, while felonious assault saw a 7.9 percent reduction compared to February 2020.
Shooting incidents however, increased to 77 versus 44 in February 2020.
According to police, the prevalence of gun violence in New York City remains a central focus for the NYPD as investigators continue to work closely with their local, state and federal partners to build strong cases against those who traffic, sell or use illegal firearms.
Gun arrests across the five boroughs remain at record highs, police noted.
For the month of February 2021, there were 400 gun arrests - an increase of 63.9 percent compared to February 2020, or 156 more arrests.
"Even though we experienced some real challenges in 2020 particularly w gun violence, in fact, if you look at all of the numbers, overall rime decreased in 2020," Mayor Bill de Blasio said during his briefing on Thursday.
He added that public safety will be one of the foundations of the city's comeback as the city works to "deepen that trust and connection between police and community."