NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The NYPD announced Thursday that major crime has spiked for the second month in a row, but some say the numbers are being cherry-picked.
Mayor Bill de Blasio called the numbers “striking” and police office one again blamed the state’s new bail reform law for contributing to the rise in crime.
“We’re seeing a major increase in property crimes, in particular,” the mayor said a briefing Thursday. “There’s never only one factor to anything, but there is a direct correlation to the change in the law and we need to address – and we will address it.”
The NYPD said major crime in the city increase by 22.5% as compared to 2019. One of the most significant increases was robberies, which rose by nearly 33% in the five boroughs.
While rapes and murders were down, there was also a significant uptick in assaults, burglaries, grand larcenies and auto theft – which was up 62% as compared to last year.
Transit crimes also soared nearly 41% from 189 to 266.
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea vowed to fix things with a massive redeployment that will include extending the number of hours that patrolmen work and beefing up police presence in high-crime areas.
“We face some challenges at the moment, as we often do,” Shea said. “We will rise to the occasion as we always do.”
While officials blamed the bail reform law that allows people charged with misdemeanors and most non-violent felonies to stay out of jail while they await trial, some say the numbers are being inflated.
“I think the numbers are being manipulated. Certain index numbers are being chosen to cherry pick,” says Sergio de la Pava with New York county Defender Services.
He says the city is deliberately highlighting certain figures to reduce public support of the bail reform law.
De la Pava says while crime may have increased, New York city saw a 20% decrease in complaints docketed to courts and 17% drop in arrests.