Norwood News

Two issues ago, we complained about not being able to get the New York City Police Department to release to us neighborhood-by-neighborhood statistics (the precinct is divided into lettered sectors).

Soon after that, the NYPD complied with our Freedom of Information Law request, which we appreciate. In our last issue, we published the sector maps including how many incidences of each crime category (homicides, rapes, auto theft, robberies, etc.) there were in each sector in 2008.  (We failed to note that the source of the statistics, from which we created the maps, was the NYPD.)

If discussion on our blog (bronxnewsnetwork.org) is any indication, this is the type of information that many residents find useful. Knowing that crime of a particular kind, or crime in general, is up or down precinct-wide is much less useful than knowing what the trend is in your neighborhood.

For example, one reader was surprised by the number of auto thefts in her community.

“I was surprised by the stats for sector J. When we receive the crime reports from the 52nd Precinct, we are often told that our area is safe,” the reader commented. “Although I feel safe in my neighborhood, evidently our autos are targets. Is it possible to receive these reports on a sector basis each month? The overall report for the entire precinct does not really inform the public about their own neighborhood.”

Couldn’t have said it better ourselves. How about it NYPD? Why not put the Compstat sector stats on-line, if not weekly, then at least monthly?

Ed. note: To add your voice to the discussion of the neighborhood crime issue, go to www.bronxnewsnetwork.org.