New York City’s top officials and law enforcement leaders say overall crime was down while crime arrests were at a 24-year high in the first quarter of 2023.

NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell stated overall crime is down but that recidivism has remained an ongoing issue.  

Despite overall crime being down, there were 39 more felony assaults this past March when compared to March of 2022. In that same time frame, there were also 147 more grand larceny auto crimes.  

The city has seen a 26.1% drop in shooting incidents compared to this time last year, with murders down 11.4%, rape down by 0.5%, robbery down by 1.4%, and burglaries down by 12.5%.  

Sewell described the decline in crime as a step in the right direction, but that the effort to continue this positive trend will extend beyond the NYPD.  

“This significant undertaking requires an all-hands approach. That means all city agencies, elected officials, community-based organizations, religious groups, local businesses, public and private sectors” said Sewell.  

The city has identified 25 precincts considered to be areas of concern with violence for the summer.