Nassau County crime is apparently down in the first month of the year with double-digit drops in total major crimes throughout the county and in the 3rd and 6th Precincts.
The Nassau County Police’s crime statistics reporting database, known as Strat-Com, provided updated crime data on the department’s website that shows crime rates from Jan. 1 through Jan. 29 of the year. It also compares the crime statistics to the same period in 2023.
While the dataset states the statistics are for these periods, there are date discrepancies in the provided statistical graphs.
Efforts to reach the Nassau County Police for clarification were unavailing.
In January, total major crimes were down 10.43% county-wide. All other crimes in the county diminished by 13.77% during this period compared to the year prior, constituting a 12.9% drop in all crimes.
Overall, 481 major crimes and 1,328 other crimes were reported throughout the county in January, adding up to a total of 1,809 crimes. In January of 2023, a total of 2,077 crimes were reported in the county.
Seven of the eight county precincts reported drops in major crime rates in January.
This county-wide drop in crime coincides with an overall 6.46% decrease in major crimes over the first 11 months of 2023, showing a continued trend of crime rates dropping since the 41% spike in 2022.
Before this decline, major crimes increased by 38% from 2019-2022.
In New York City, crime also decreased in January by an overall 2.9%. Most major crime categories reported reductions, including a 25% drop in murders, a 24.4% in reported rapes and a 19.8% decrease in burglaries.
January crime data for Suffolk County was not immediately available.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman attributed the 2023 drop in Nassau County’s crimes to his administration’s financial investments in the county police department and intelligence-led policing strategies in a mailer.
Blakeman ran his 2021 election campaign on a platform that included calls for addressing the rise in crime in the county, with many other local Republican campaigns using the issue as a campaign talking point.
Blakeman’s calls specifically targeted the state’s bail reform laws, which he previously had blamed for the 75% surge in major crime Nassau County saw in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the previous year during an interview with Blank Slate Media.
Those same calls for public safety initiatives in response to rising crimes carried into the 2023 election campaigns, with both Republican and Democratic candidates citing a need to address the safety concerns of residents.
A mailer sent by Blakeman’s office touted the county’s reductions in crime “even with Cashless Bail Laws and the National Border Crisis [sic]” which have been consistently referenced as driving factors for greater crime.
Multiple publications have reported that data does not support claims of a migrant crime wave, including the New York Times and the New York Daily News.
In Nassau County, no murders, rapes, criminal sexual acts or sexual abuses were reported in January. None of these crimes were reported in January of 2023 either, amounting to neither an increase nor a decrease in these four major crime categories.
Stolen vehicles and grand larcenies were reported with the highest decreases county-wide. Only 49 vehicles were reported stolen, about an 18.33% decrease, and 283 grand larcenies, or 17.97% fewer.
While residential burglaries throughout the county fell by 2.17%, with 45 reported in January, non-residential burglaries rose by 2.78% with 37 cases reported. Both of these categories amounted to a single case in difference from year to year.
Other crime categories also reported increases county-wide.
For all of Nassau County, 17 commercial robberies were reported in the first month, a 70% increase from the year prior, and 18 other robberies were reported, an 80% increase.
Felony assaults also increased in January by 6.67%. In January of 2024, 32 assaults were reported whereas 30 were reported during the same period the year prior.
The 3rd Precinct includes Albertson, Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose Village, Carle Place, East Garden City, East Meadow, East Williston, Floral Park Center, Garden City Park, Herricks, Mineola, New Cassel, New Hyde Park, North New Hyde Park, Roslyn Heights, Salisbury, Searingtown, Stewart Manor, Uniondale, Westbury and Williston Park.
This precinct reported a total drop of 11.41% in January of this year. In total, 132 major crimes were reported, with 149 reported in January of 2023.
Three non-commercial robberies were reported, which amounted to a 200% increase from the year prior when just one was reported in the month. Commercial robberies also increased – by 50% – with six reported in January and four in January of 2023.
Felony Assault in the third precinct fell by 16.67%, with 10 cases reported in January of this year and 12 reported during the same period the year prior.
Residential burglaries fell by 53.85%, with only six reported. While that crime fell, non-residential burglaries increased by 70% with 17 total cases reported.
Only six vehicles were stolen, amounting to a 60% decrease, and 84 grand larcenies were reported, a 10.64% decrease.
The 6th Precinct covers East Hills, Flower Hill Great Neck Plaza, Harbor Hills, Manorhaven, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome, Plandome Manor, Plandome Heights, Roslyn, Roslyn Estates, Roslyn Harbor, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock, Sea Cliff, Thomaston, Glen Head, Glenwood Landing, Great Neck, Greenvale, Manhasset, Roslyn Heights and University Gardens.
Total major crimes in the sixth precinct fell by 22.64%. In total, 41 cases were reported this year, whereas 53 were reported in January of 2023.
In the 6th Precinct, five vehicles were stolen, a 44.44% decrease, 18 grand larcenies were reported, a 37.93% decrease, and one non-residential burglary occurred, a 66.67% decrease.
Some major crimes did increase in the sixth precinct but have been historically low. This includes one commercial robbery in January of 2024 when none were reported the year prior during the same period, and two non-commercial robberies with only one reported the January prior.
Residential burglaries increased by 30% in January of this year, with 13 reported in 2024 and 10 in 2023.
The only precinct reporting a rise in major crimes was the 5thh, which encompasses Elmont, Franklin Square, West Hempstead, Valley Stream, North Valley Stream, Lakeview, South Floral Park and Garden City South.
The 5th Precinct reported an 18.67% increase in major crimes during January compared to the year prior.