Mayor Daryl Finizio announced on Tuesday that the number of crimes in New London has decreased in the past year.
Finizio said crimes have gone down 12.78 percent, with a 3.05 percent decrease in the most serious crimes. Finizio said the latest crime statistics are the lowest since 2009 and credited a redeployment of police officers in June with additional coverage in targeted areas as a factor in the reduction.
"I believe this data demonstrates that the policies initiated in the Police Department by this administration, along with the reorganization of the department’s leadership, are having a positive effect on reducing major crimes in our city,” said Finizio in a statement. "I want to thank all the members of our department for their hard work in doing what is clearly a difficult and dangerous job. I appreciate their service to New London."
Deputy Chief Peter Reichard also thanked the city's police officers in a statement.
"The dedication and hard work of police officers in these locations has provided a proactive approach to crime reduction within the neighborhoods of our city," said Reichard. "The new deployment has given the agency the ability to better manage the resources and concentrate our efforts on areas in the city where violence has been routinely reported to police."
According to The Day, statistics were compiled by the New London Police Department and show a decrease in the number of reported crimes from 7,841 in 2011 to 6,839 in 2012. The number of crimes decrease in each reported category with the exception of aggravated assault, which increased from 118 to 229, and robberies, which increased from 42 to 47.
Finizio said strategies to further reduce crime will include increased lighting, anti-loitering signs, and "enhanced surveillance technologies" with a special focus on the downtown business district. Finizio said the city will also continue to partner with state and federal law enforcement agencies to combat illegal drug and firearms trafficking.
