Violent crime is down in New Haven by 10 percent when compared to last year. However, New Haven Police Chief Dean Esserman says there is still work to be done.
“The mayor made it very clear to me, when he recruited me, and he said that he and the board of aldermen spoke with one voice to bring crime down across this city, violent crime in particular,” Chief Esserman said.
Esserman credits the return of walking beats, community policing, the creation of a shooting task force and project longevity for the decrease in crime.
Mayor John Destefano said, “While we still grapple with a significant violence, it’s down, it’s down meaningfully.”