The 52nd Precinct saw a double-digit drop in crime in 2017, following a citywide decrease in crime for a fourth consecutive year. But an investigation into how the number of gun arrests increased is under way.

The Five-Two covers Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge Heights and University Heights. Preliminary crime statistics publicly available show the precinct filed 1,789 crimes under the seven major crime categories tracked by the NYPD in 2017, as opposed to 2,096 in 2016. The seven major crimes include murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, and grand larceny auto. The numbers translate to a 14.65 percent drop in crime within the northwest Bronx precinct. Deputy Inspector Peter Fiorillo serves as commanding officer.

Burglary within the Five-Two’s borders saw the biggest drop in 2017, with 169 reported crimes against 272 reported in 2016, translating to a 37 percent dive. Grand larceny, thefts where the value of an item exceeds $100, was the only category that saw an uptick in crime, with a .5 percent increase.

The news comes as the Police Department completes its first full year implementing the Neighborhood Coordination Officer program (NCO), where two officers are exclusively embedded within a community instead of going on radio runs. NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill, considered the program’s architect when he served as Chief of Department, has long championed the initiative.

“Neighborhood policing is a game changer,” said O’Neill at a Jan. 5 news conference that ran through the numbers. “It’s established in 56 of our 77 precincts as of this month and in all nine of our Housing Bureau police service areas. We’re essentially restoring the role of patrol cop to problem solver.”

Much of an NCO’s responsibilities involve attending community meetings to familiarize themselves with residents living within their assigned sector. The strategy has helped them pinpoint neighborhood issues at a faster clip. Officers have also begun hosting so-called Safety Summit meetings.

Under O’Neill, the murder rate across New York City dropped to 290, the lowest since record keeping by the NYPD began in 1939. In 2016 there were a reported 335 murders. Across the city there were fewer robberies, burglaries, and grand theft auto cases police had to work on since the CompStat began in 1990.

But the Bronx District Attorney’s Office confirmed it’s investigating cases at the Five-Two where cops tricked suspects into admitting where a gun was concealed in exchange for not receiving the charge. Officers would backpedal on the deal and file a gun charge against the suspect, breaking the law. The development, first reported by the Daily News, has apparently impacted firearms cases where prosecutors offered tempting plea deals. Officers could see reassignments or perhaps departmental charges.

Overall, gun arrests tripled from 2016 to 2017. There were a total of 139 gun arrests in 2017, up from 89 in 2016, a 56 percent gain.

Tricking suspects into giving up guns apparently stretches back decades, according to a police source.

“Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, illegal searches were done all the time, and nobody gave a crap, but it is not legal. It’s called perjury, and it’s a felony,” said a retired sergeant who pounded a beat in the South Bronx back then. “Today, you’re jeopardizing your livelihood and possibly your freedom to make an arrest based upon false facts.

“I always told my officers it’s not worth it; you can go to jail. If that’s the way the system legally requires things, let the felon go free. Somebody else will collar him legit the next time.”

At a swearing-in ceremony for new police recruits, O’Neill said the Bronx District Attorney’s office has “been in contact with our Internal Affairs.”

Additional reporting by Bob Kappstatter.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.