DANBURY — Major crime dropped a dramatic 35 percent during the height of the April coronavirus crisis, compared to the same months last year, the latest police figures show.
It makes sense, according to Mayor Mark Boughton.
“The background is that COVID-19 did have an impact in April because most people were on lockdown, so the activity was down,” Boughton said on Tuesday. “Crime still would have been down, perhaps not quite as dramatically.”
The numbers support Boughton’s argument.
Crime in eight major categories is down 16 percent for the first four months of 2020, compared to the same four-month period in 2019, according to police department data that was submitted to the City Council on Tuesday.
The decrease in major crime has been a consistent trend in Danbury, which is among the safest cities in the state. In 2019, major crime was down 16 percent over the previous year.
The major crime numbers, which lag behind real time by one month, are not official until they are audited by the state at the end of the year.
The numbers come at uncertain and uneasy times. With the worst of the initial coronavirus crisis behind Connecticut, Danbury and other cities are tentatively reopening society. At the same time, civil unrest is growing in American cities over a handcuffed black man who died in Minneapolis with a white police officer’s knee pinned on his neck.
Several hundred people are expected to march through downtown Danbury on Wednesday to protest.
Boughton and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour said they support the protesters’ right to assembly and share their outrage. In a joint statement, the mayor and police chief called the May 25 actions of the Minneapolis officers in question “inexcusable.”
“I know I’m appalled by what I saw and many of our officers are appalled that stuff like that can happen here,” Ridenhour said on Tuesday. “To watch someone right before your eyes lose his life — it’s just not what we’re about.”
Danbury’s year-to-date numbers show a drop not only in overall major crime but in traffic accidents, traffic enforcement, and calls for service.
Calls for police service dropped 12 percent in April and are down a total of 10 percent for the first four months of the year, according to the data.
Traffic accidents dropped 63 percent in April over the same month in 2019, and are down 21 percent for the first four months of 2020.
Traffic stops — including verbal warnings and ticket writing — were down 90 percent in April as residents stayed at home and self-quarantined. Overall, Danbury police have pulled over 44 percent fewer drivers during the first four months of this year than they did during the same four months in 2019.
The toll on the Danbury police department has been modest, Boughton said. Two officers had confirmed cases of COVID-19 and two other officers with probable cases self-quarantined. Both officers with confirmed cases are back on duty.
“Our officers have (personal protective equipment) and they are listening to the recommendations of the health department,” Boughton said. “Considering we have had nearly 2,000 cases in Danbury, the police department is doing pretty good.”
Ridenhour agreed.
“We were well prepared with personal protection equipment that some of our people here who were forward-thinking had stockpiled,” the chief said. “The community has also been great with people making masks for us and donating hand sanitizer, so we have been very fortunate.”
rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
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