Homicides and shootings are at a four-year low in the city of Hartford, and overall violent crimes are down since last year, too, according to 2014 crime statistics released Monday.
Police Chief James Rovella took on that job in 2012, and he said that he wanted to change the way the city did its police work.
"I don't need 100, 200 people arrested," Rovella told WNPR, saying he wants to fish with a spear, not a net. "I need five or six. And good cases against that five or six."
The numbers presented by the city say Rovella has done just that. Adult arrests are down nearly 35 percent since 2011, and they're down nearly 6 percent compared to 2013. Juvenile arrests are down 42 percent since 2011, and they're down nearly 17 percent compared to 2013.
But while violent crimes are down, two types of non-violent crimes are up. Larcenies, which account for half of all serious crimes, are at a three-year high. And auto thefts went up 16.5 percent compared to 2013. The city says "a continuing trend in all auto theft incidents is the theft of older model Hondas and Toyotas."
For more information, take a look at the city's numbers by downloading them here.
