Cambridge Crime Rates Continues To Plummet

Though last week's Central Square rape has increased worries about crime in Cambridge, newly released numbers from the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) show that violent crimes--and crimes of almost all categories--are becoming increasingly rare in the city.

Crime in Cambridge dropped almost 40 percent from 1989 to 1998, and crime levels are expected stay constant this year, according to a police report released two weeks ago.

The city's Third Quarter Crime Report shows that occurrences of almost all Type I crimes have decreased. This category includes more serious crimes like murder, robbery or assault, with violent crime dropping by 13 percent overall.

However, instances of Type II crimes, like drug violations or fraud, rose for the most part by small increments.

Police attribute the decrease to a variety of efforts, including more community outreach programs and more proactive uniformed officers.

"You have to give some credit to the men and women of the police department who are out there every day," says Frank T. Pasquarello, CPD's spokesperson.

It can also be attributed to a self-perpetuating effect--lower crime rates mean police have more time to patrol, which helps to reduce crime even more, according to industry experts.

"Sometimes just seeing a police cruiser in the area is all it takes to stop a crime," Pasquarello says.

One example of CPD's proactive approach was a special anti-drug effort in Area 4--a neighborhood northeast of Central Square--where plainclothes patrol officers and Special Investigations detectives targeted street dealers over the summer, resulting in 61 arrests, over a third of the total narcotics arrests for the city.

The Area 4 push was a major factor in the 36 percent rise in arrests for narcotics violations.

Meanwhile, the report says violent crime is continuing on a long-term downward trend.

Cambridge's only murder in 1999 occurred early on the morning of Sept. 18. Collin Burton, 30, of Dorchester, was shot outside Hi-Fi Pizza in Central Square following an altercation with the occupants of a green Ford Explorer.

No arrests have been made, and the case is still considered active.

"Hopefully, that will be our last of the year," Pasquarello says.

Other violent crimes are dropping too. Rapes, especially, have dropped dramatically--reported instances are down 41percent. "Stranger rapes," like last Monday's, are anomalies, according to the report--most Cambridge rape victims know their attackers.

Although auto theft is down 5 percent overall, CPD has turned to the community for help in solving a rash of car thefts over the past six weeks. Over 30 Toyota Camrys have been stolen since Oct. 16, police say. Police have made two arrests in these thefts, but there is no sign of slowing.

The report singles out Harvard Square as one of the safest neighborhoods in Cambridge. It has been over a year since a commercial robbery occurred in the area.

"Agassiz [the neighborhood which encompasses Harvard] has a significantly lower-than-average rate for almost every measured crime," the police report reads.

A recent survey by APBNews.com found Harvard to be the safest urban Ivy League college.

"Cambridge is doing really well with crime prevention, so we're benefiting from that," said Peggy A. McNamara, spokesperson for the Harvard University Police Department, in an earlier interview.

Police say they see the current trends continuing for the near future, and small increases in certain types of crime are no reason to worry.

"The problem with [crime] being at an all-time low is that a small increase really gets people worried," Pasquarello says.

However, the police seem to be focusing their worries elsewhere for the next month.

"The next published report will be the 1999 Annual Report, which will be available in February 2000, assuming the Y2K problem does not end all civilization," CPD's Web site reads.