Excerpt from Hoboken Now:

Hoboken Police Chief Carmen V. LaBruno says violent crime is up in Hoboken, The Jersey Journal reported today. The city's stats are in contrast to the overall county numbers, which, according to figures released yesterday by the state Attorney General's Office, show a decrease in the number of reported crimes from 2005 to 2006.

According to the report, murders were down 31 percent in the county in 2006, robberies sank 2 percent and aggravated assaults fell by 6 percent. Overall, violent crime dropped by 4 percent - 4,438 incidents in 2005 compared to 4,221 in 2006.

Much of the drop is attributable to Jersey City, which saw violent crime drop 8 percent and murders drop 42 percent.

In Hoboken, however, there were 104 violent crimes reported during the first eight months of the year, compared to 72 violent crimes during that stretch last year.

"Crime is cyclical," he said. "We are also down 25 to 30 officers and the city's population keeps growing."

http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ss ... h_for_thursday_oct_3.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the Jersey Journal


Crime falls from 2005 to 2006

Thursday, October 25, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Crime is mostly on the run in Hudson County, though with some key exceptions, according to figures released yesterday by the state Attorney General's Office.

Led by steep drops in Jersey City, particularly in the area of murders and other violent crimes, the analysis, known as the Uniform Crime Report, represents mostly good news.

The report, based on information supplied by local law enforcement agencies, compares 2005 and 2006 crime figures.

According to the report, murders were down 31 percent in the county in 2006, robberies sank 2 percent and aggravated assaults fell by 6 percent. Overall, violent crime dropped by 4 percent - 4,438 incidents in 2005 compared to 4,221 in 2006.

But the news wasn't all rosy. Violent crime in Union City was up 25 percent and arson in the county shot up by 32 incidents.

In Jersey City, violent crime fell 8 percent. Murders in the state's second largest city dropped 42 percent - 38 murders in 2005 versus 22 in 2006. Newark, by way of comparison, recorded 107 murders in 2006.

"These statistics speak for themselves," said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who has hired 200 police officers since taking office three years ago. "The leadership of the Jersey City Police Department and the men and women in uniform . are the best."

So far this year, Jersey City has recorded 14 homicides, said Police Chief Tom Comey.

Rapes in Jersey City were up by 40 percent in 2006 - 60 incidents versus 43 in 2005. Some incidents will turn out not be rapes by the time the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office reviews the case, Comey noted.

Bayonne fared well in the report, but yesterday Police Chief Robert Kubert said this year's figures are running even with last year.

"There's been some recent problems with car burglaries . and residential and business burglaries," Kubert said. "I've been watching it and we are addressing it with additional personnel and tactics."

Hoboken is experiencing a spike in violent crime, said Hoboken Police Chief Carmen V. LaBruno.

From January to the end of August, Hoboken recorded 104 violent crimes, while during the same stretch last year, the city had only 72 violent crimes, LaBruno said.

"Crime is cyclical," he said. "We are also down 25 to 30 officers and the city's population keeps growing."

Crime rates in West New York were fairly steady, though aggravated assaults increased dramatically - by 37 percent.

West New York Police Director Oscar Fernandez, who took the reins in March, said his department can't make an impact on crimes of passion but has made an impact in the most common crimes - robberies, burglaries and stolen vehicles.

"I see a difference in the streets." he said.

In North Bergen, violent crimes declined slightly and nonviolent ones fell by 30 percent.

Mayor Nicholas Sacco credited creation of a plainclothes street crime unit and the use of COMSTAT, a computer system that tracks where crimes happen.

Journal staff writer Keenan Steiner contributed to this report