Violent crime drops in Buffalo, rises in Amherst in 2007

[steven]

Buffalo's violent crimes dropped by 11.8 percent, while property crimes rose 4.5 percent in 2007 from the previous year, the FBI reported today.

Buffalo's decline in violent crime is much greater than other municipalities across the nation, which saw violent crime decline by 1.4 percent from 2006, according to preliminary figures for crime reported to police.

The FBI reported that property crimes across the country were down 2.1 percent last year, the largest decline in the last four years.

In Amherst, violent crime rose by 12.3 percent, while property crime fell by 3.9 percent in 2007 from the previous year, according to the preliminary figures.

http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/366115.html

[WNYresident]

I heard Byron Brown on the radio this morning stating crime is down in buffalo.

Mr policemen?

Is this true?

[steven]

No its all a lie. The sky is falling

[Genoobie]

Lies, damned lies, statistics. As a city resident for nearly 20 years, I have to say, I have only had one property crime perpetrated against me. I've generally lived in some of city's more affluent neighborhoods (N. Buff, Univ. Heights, Parkside, Allentown) but there you have it. Anecdotal evidence that there is almost no crime in the city (sarcasm). However, I am sure that the first ring suburbs are changing and their residents, who have long turned a blind eye to poverty and crimes of ignorance are finally going to have to accept it and figure out some way to deal with it. Not everyone is going to be able to move out anymore like they did with the city...

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Yea! Lets hold a per rally. Not like these numbers are misleading.


Buffalo saw a decrease but the numbers were in the crapper. Something like 1 violent crime per 78 residents. Amherst on the other hand saw an increase to something like 1 violent crime per 815 residents.

I am sure people are flocking to the city for safety.

[LHardy]

This was an interesting announcement.
I'm with leftWNYbecauseofBS.
You must assume when a stat is used only in terms of percentages, that those percentages mean nothing without the numbers that derive those percentages.

My first thought is Buffalo's so poor, crime doesn't pay anymore.
Had to move it uptown.

[steven]

Violent crime in Buffalo dropped 11.8 percent last year as compared with the year before — the largest decline in the last five years.

At the same time, violent crime in Amherst rose by 12.3 percent.

The decline in Buffalo’s violent crime was much sharper than the national figure: a 1.4 percent decrease, according to preliminary figures that the FBI released on Monday.

Police officials attribute the reduction to a slew of new crime-fighting programs. “It’s aggressive policing and aggressive narcotics enforcement,” said Daniel J. Derenda, Buffalo deputy police commissioner.

“We’re aggressively going after narcotics and aggressively going after the gangs,” he said. “This is the mayor’s plan for zero-tolerance and it costs a lot in overtime, but it’s working.”

The number of murders in Buffalo dropped from 74 in 2006 to 54 last year, a 37 percent decrease.

Rapes dropped slightly, from 174 to 164. Robberies decreased 11 percent, from 1,708 to 1,533; and aggravated assaults were down 15 percent; from 2,001 to 1,739.

Buffalo’s property crime rose 4.5 percent in 2007 from the previous year, the figures show.

In Rochester and Syracuse — other upstate cities — murder and rape both increased last year. Robberies were down in both. Aggravated assault was down in Rochester and stayed the same in Syracuse.

Derenda said that besides all the police initiatives last year, officers have been “parking and walking” the beat more often, and he praised the city’s Comstat program, which uses crime statistics and maps that pinpoint neighborhood-to-neighborhood or street-to-street crime trends.

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/366529.html

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I think maybe a "hats off" is in order for the BPD. Seems the new inititives are working. When the numbers show progress then I am all for over time and raises

[LHardy]

Let's not get all gitty and take a dose of reality.
It is great that crime is down in Buffalo. Yet at the same time so is the population.. Down 5.7% from 2000-2006 and declining.

So it does stand to reason as population decreases so does crime.
The inverse is also true. Amherst had a 0.2% increase from 2000-2006.

They've kept the lid on the hoodlums.

[Genoobie]

The relationship population and crime that LHardy suggests is specious.

[Dumbfounded]

Let's not get all gitty and take a dose of reality.
It is great that crime is down in Buffalo. Yet at the same time so is the population.. Down 5.7% from 2000-2006 and declining.

So it does stand to reason as population decreases so does crime.
The inverse is also true. Amherst had a 0.2% increase from 2000-2006.

They've kept the lid on the hoodlums.

They've kept the lid on tons of violent crimes that have never been publicly reported because it would "tarnish" the burbs sparkling and pure rep.

And to qualify the above statement,
I'm speaking about the the city councils, mayors and major real estate developers of
Buffalo's major suburbs and not the cops who enforce the laws

Buffalo's high crime rate is pretty difficult to cover up


As far as North Buffalo being the "best" section of the city,
it IS
when compared to the east, west and south sides of
Buffalo

Things are getting "interesting" here in North Buffalo

[LHardy]

They've kept the lid on tons of violent crimes that have never been publicly reported because it would "tarnish" the burbs sparkling and pure rep.

And to qualify the above statement,
I'm speaking about the the city councils, mayors and major real estate developers of
Buffalo's major suburbs and not the cops who enforce the laws

Explain how they cover up crime stats.
Unless the cops are not filing reports of the crimes they are sent to investigate the stats are as real as they get.

Since you have said it is not the cops who are doing the cover explain how their paper work goes missing and is not entered into the system.

[Trolls_r_us]

I've lived in the city and only been the victim of ONE crime!

that sounds like a "talking proud" t-shirt idea!

My god people have odd expectations/standards for their lives.

[WNYresident]

Mr. Police people?

Seeing you guys work in the city do you agree with the Mayor that crime is lower?

[LHardy]

The relationship population and crime that LHardy suggests is specious.

TRUE.

Am I not allowed to be silly and rambunctious?

[Save Us]

I have lived in the city for 10 years and have never had a problem, but also have a large dog, and a smith and wesson. Forget the police,,,in my area I am the law.