NEW YORK.- Gov. Kathy Hochul highlighted the state’s declining crime rate, citing a new independent report that ranked New York City communities among the safest in the U.S. based on violent crime rates, emergency services and other key metrics.
Eight counties in New York State, including those located on Long Island, Hudson Valley and NYC, the latter of which is home to nearly one million Dominicans, were recognized in the US News & World Report ranking of “The 25 Safest Communities in the United States,” more than any other state in the country.
Four counties were in the top 10, and one county, Nassau, was ranked the safest in the U.S.
“Public safety is our top priority and we have focused on fighting crime since the moment we took office,” Hochul said.
Statewide crime is down 6% year-over-year, according to data from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services and NYPD CompStat.
The analysis identified the following counties as having seen year-over-year declines in crime during the first half of 2024: Long Island’s Nassau was down 18% and Suffolk was down 13%.
In the Hudson Valley, Rockland is listed at 26%; Westchester at 8%; and Putnam at 15% in 2023 (2024 data pending).
Likewise, in NYC, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island are listed with a combined decrease of 3.5%.
As New York continues to make nation-leading strides in combating crime, Governor Hochul has also continued to make historic investments in new crime-fighting initiatives across the state, totaling more than $800 million in investments in proven programs and initiatives.
