NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WBEN) - Crime in Niagara Falls is not a new development but City Councilman Bill Kennedy said "enough is enough" after an elderly woman was assaulted in front of DiCamillo Bakery in broad daylight recently.
"I will literally blow up with rage if I continue to talk about it," Kennedy said while acknowledging that the city needs to do something to address crime in the community. "I feel like everybody gets together, we talk about it, then it's onto the next thing and we forget where we're at."
Officials in Niagara Falls are calling for more police presence along Pine Avenue because of the amount of crime there. pic.twitter.com/E8snkjhFm9
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) April 23, 2019Kennedy doesn't blame Niagara Falls Police or even cameras that were installed along Pine Avenue last year for the violent crimes. He admitted he doesn't know the answers, be it a state of emergency or an increase in patrols, but said he plans to bring all sorts of officials across the region to find a solution for crime.
According to the latest FBI's violent crime statistics, there were 544 violent crimes in Niagara Falls in 2017. Crime in Niagara Falls is trending down since its 2012 peak of 619 violent crimes. Violent crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. In Niagara Falls, one in 89 people are reported victims of a violent crime. In comparison, one in 98 people are victims of a violent crime in Buffalo. Across New York State, one in every 357 people are victims of a violent crime.
