The number of violent incidents increased in Derby, but most other crime categories dropped in 2010.
That’s according to crime stats provided to the Valley Indy by the Derby Police Department.
While the fact that violence increased in the city is anything but positive, the good news is that the uptick can be pinpointed to a string of specific incidents along in the area of Hawkins and Seventh streets — and most of the players involved were either arrested by Derby police or thought to be locked up for committing crimes elsewhere in the Valley.
Example — Stephen Coney, a Derby resident, is allegedly responsible for two stabbings in the Hawkins Street area.
In addition, a feud between two families on Hawkins was a major source of violence on Hawkins, police told the Valley Indy in June.
Other suspects in Derby crimes are tied into a group that has been arrested on a variety of gun and drug charges.
Hawkins has been quiet as of late — though long-time neighbors there say quality of life concerns continue to be as annoying as ever.
Here are the stats, comparing 2009 to 2010. Keep in mind they’re not official, so there could be changes.
CALLS FOR SERVICE (down, slightly):
2009: 15,962
2010: 15,584
AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS (up):
2009: 5
2010: 18
ASSAULTS (up):
2009: 55
2010: 64
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (up):
2009: 60
2010: 72
ROBBERY (down):
2009: 14
2010: 12
SEXUAL ASSAULTS (down):
2009: 8
2010: 3
LARCENY (down):
2009: 307
2010: 295
BURGLARY (down):
2009: 90
2010: 75
AUTO THEFTS (down, slightly):
2009: 31
2010: 30
KIDNAPPING (down):
2009: 1
2010: 0
NARCOTICS ARRESTS (down):
2009: 76
2010: 59
MURDER (down):
2009: 1
2010: 0
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS (down):
2009: 893
2010: 810
Crime went down in eight of the 11 categories provided by the Derby Police Department.
“Overall, you live in a safe community,” police Chief Gerald Narowski said.
Click here for historical crime rate stats compiled about Derby by the state.
Derby residents had understandable mixed reactions to the news — they were happy to hear the crime rate seemed to slightly dip, but were concerned about violence. Two residents interviewed assumed that violence in Derby had gone up, because of media coverage.
“It’s still crime,” said Pat DiMenno, a volunteer at the St. Vincent de Paul store on Roosevelt Drive.
