As violent crime escalates in parts of the Bronx, the community is reportedly feeling somewhat forgotten. Concerns over this issue have prompted local City Council member Oswald Feliz from the Democratic party to ask for supplementary police support. Corresponding with interim police Commissioner Thomas Donlon, Feliz expressed his apprehension regarding the worrying increase in shooting incidents across multiple precincts in his district.
Although there have been strides in crime reduction made by the New York Police Department over the last year, areas within the Bronx continue to suffer, according to Feliz. With escalated shooting incidents, it is seen that NYPD’s 46th, 48th, and 62nd precincts might be in desperate need of extra resources.
Feliz, in his letter penned on Monday, emphasized that the tasks of maintaining public safety and mitigating crime are not exclusive to the police force alone. However, there are specific, tangible steps that can be taken to ensure that all neighborhoods benefit from initiatives meant to increase safety. Noteworthy is the role police presence has in the deterrence of crime, stated Feliz.
The NYPD, while speaking with The Post, indicated they are going to evaluate the correspondence from Feliz. In a released statement, the spokesperson highlighted that the distribution of precinct personnel and resources equitably throughout the city was based on crime trends and staffing requirements. Factors including population, crime levels within each precinct and call volumes influence the deployment of freshly graduated police recruits from the academy.
Local businesses in the Bronx expressed their approval towards increased police visibility in the neighborhood. Joe, a clothing store manager in Bronx, stated that an increased police patrol would be warmly welcomed. He believes that the sight of police presence can maintain tranquillity as potential offenders might be deterred.
A staff member from Best Italian Pizza, a neighborhood pizzeria, revealed how common violence is in their area, suggesting a need for more presence. Reportedly, skirmishes involving weapons ranging from knives to baseball bats occur frequently.
NYDP data suggests that shooting-related incidents citywide have experienced a drop of 9.4% this year when compared with the same period in the previous year. Contrarily, the police department’s data is showing an increase of 54.5% in shooting incidents within the 52nd precinct in the northern part of the Bronx for the same time period comparison. This paints a troubling picture of a crime increase in specific parts of the Bronx.
A further deep dive into the NYPD’s statistics shows that 48th precinct has seen shootings rise by 19% this year as opposed to the corresponding time last year. On top of this, the 46th precinct experienced an 18.2% increase in shooting incidents in the same annual comparison. This trend is upsetting the earlier benefits from the general citywide decrease in shooting-related incidents.
Murders in Bronx’s 46th precinct also show an alarming increase of 33.3% year over year according to NYPD data. Remarkably, four murders have been recorded so far in 2024 within the West Bronx region, an increase if compared to the three murders reported during the same time span last year.
While specific Bronx precincts see surges in violent crime, citywide murder rates have been experiencing a decline by 11.1% for the same period. This amplifies the feelings that certain parts of the Bronx are getting left behind in citywide crime reduction efforts.
A particularly horrific attack took place on September 12 inside the 46th precinct, adding a tragic dimension to the escalating crime rates. Leslie Sanchez, a local resident, was reported to have been brutally attacked and killed with a metal baseball bat during his daily commute to work near Grand Concourse, Fordham Road.
Two individuals, Romel Jarret aged 37, and Terrence Downes aged 44, were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the violent assault. While initial charges were of attempted murder and first-degree assault, the Bronx DA’s office expects the charges to face an update when the pair face a new indictment on October 15.
Interestingly, Feliz’s letter also mentioned the other two Bronx precincts that did not exhibit an increase in murders when compared citywide. The murder rates in the 52nd precinct echo the citywide statistics that show a decrease of 11.1% year over year.
The 48th precinct reports an even greater decline than citywide, with the number of murders dropping nearly 50% year over year. During the same timeframe, this precinct reported six murders compared to the previous year’s twelve. Despite promising numbers in some areas, the disturbing rise in violent crimes in others underscore the apparent disparity in crime trends across the Bronx precincts.