IS HARTFORD SAFE? DO THE NUMBERS REALLY MATTER?

Let me first say, it is hard to take Mayor Perez seriously when he stands up and talks about crime. It's like looking at two polar opposites when you see the Mayor standing beside Chief Roberts. One is the image of integrity and honesty the other is Hartford's poster child for corruption.

With that being said, what is the real state of crime in Hartford?

By the city's own handout that was presented at City Hall, it paints a dismall picture if you look at the facts. The entire report is available below by clicking on "2009 Safe City Overview". Essentially the report points out an increase in homicides in 2009. Aggravated assaults increased 16.2%, burglaries increased 12% and shooting incidents increased by 9.2%

By these numbers, it would appear that the crimes that make people fear Hartford are not moving in the right direction.

I guess we should take comfort in the statements and bullet points in this report, but they seem to defy logic or any positive "marketing strategy" to make people feel good about Hartford. As an example the report states "since 2003 Violent Crime has remained constant and in 2009 increased from 1,537 to 1,619". I feel better already knowing that violent crime has remained constant. What are they thinking?

I guess that is what they call looking at the glass as half full.It's like they are trying to say "violent crime has remained constant, you think it's bad now, imagine if it increased how bad it could be".

I don't fault the Chief or the Hartford Police Department for these numbers as much as I do the administration. If we added up all of the Police Officers we have been promised by Mayor Perez at election time, the HPD would be fully staffed and in great shape. Unfortunately the department is still losing officers faster than they are being replaced, and sources tell me that by year end, we potentially could once again be below 400 officers.

In addition, City Hall sources are telling me that this year at budget time, police and fire layoffs are an almost certain reality, reducing the numbers even more.

In addition, equipment and vehicles have been another real problem. It doesn't take an expensive study to figure out that if you are short vehicles and are doubling up officers in the same car, then they are only able to produce half the results together that they might produce working on their own. By only being able to cover half as much territory, then realistically half as much criminal activity might be noticed. Therefore only half as much enforcement might take place, and potentially crime could be doubling, unchecked.

Again, we already know our Mayor has very little regard for our laws as he has been charged with violating several felony statutes himself. Is it any wonder that he may not be strong on crime prevention?

The numbers below are compiled through FBI statistics and show Hartford, CT ranked at number 24 out of 400 US Cities. Hartford is ahead of Newark, New Jersey and way ahead of Boston, Massachusetts. That in and of itself tells the story that Hartford is a violent city.

2009 City Crime RankingsCity Crime 2009 Rank Rev

2009 SAFE CITY OVERVIEW2009 Safe City Overview