City touts ‘safest May ever’

NEW YORK CITY experienced its safest May in the history of the CompStat era, officials said Monday. CompStat began in 1995. “We had the safest April we’ve ever had, and May continues this good news,” Mayor de Blasio said at the monthly crime statistics briefing.

Overall crime was down about 7% compared with May 2016 —from 8,649 to 7,988. There were 24 murders last month, which marks a 25% decrease from the 32 in May 2016. The five boroughs saw a 22% drop in shootings, from 86 in May of last year compared with 67 this year.

“The shootings are at the lowest of any May on record,” de Blasio said. “It’s extraordinary.”

“These continued declines, even after last year’s record lows, is something I have never seen in my 35-year career in law enforcement,” said Police Commissioner James O’Neill.

Rape was down 17%, from 145 in 2016 to 121 this year. Assaults were also down, with 1,815 last year compared with 1,763 this year — about a 3% decrease. There were 1,146 robberies citywide, roughly a 9% drop from 1,266 during the corresponding period last year.

There were 133 fewer burglaries this May — 1,084 compared with 951 — representing a 12% drop. Grand larceny was down about 6%, from 3,749 to last month’s 3,537. Grand larceny auto saw a 20% drop — down to 445 from 558. Transit crime was up slightly, from 209 crimes last year to 211 this year. Crime at NYCHA projects was down 18%, with 377 incidents reported this year compared with 459 last year.