Crime in the Village of Hempstead
Nassau News Staff Writer
Hempstead has a reputation as a high-crime and high-drugs area for years. Police insists the numbers have been steadily decreasing for the better part of a decade but what is the police department doing to help continue to drive these numbers down?
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For years, the village of Hempstead has earned a reputation as a high-crime area. Just last year, there were over 2,600 total offenses charted, ranging from murder to rape to prostitution. With projections for this year expected to come close to 2,500 offenses, it is an improvement. But is it enough for the residents of Hempstead to feel safe?
According to Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall and Police Chief Joe Wing, crime has been steadily decreasing in the area for the better part of the last decade.
“I believe the overall crime for 2007 dropped about 9 percent from 2006,” said Wing, “So, even though some might say that the crime is high, comparatively speaking, it's been dropping. We’re looking to have that number decrease, to increase our efforts and to continue the decline of crime.”
The drop in the crime statistics should offer assurance for residents -- however, Mayor Hall warns that not all the crimes are dropping.
“The one thing that has not gone down is the violent crime and when I say violent crime I mean assaults and things like that,” he told Nassau News.
Another problem that the police department faces is that only 1 out of every 3 offenses are cleared, or caught. As you can see in the Hempstead crime statistics link at the bottom of the page, the imbalance in the ratio of offenses recorded to those cleared are distinct.
There is good news for the future though. With the expected addition of new police officers both Wing and Hall expect crime numbers will keep dropping. The Hempstead Village police force totals 115 officers with five more expected to join.
In 2007, the total monetary value for damages to residents and vehicles surpassed $2.1 million.
“Unfortunately a lot of people will pull up to a 7-Eleven, leave their car running, run in thinking they’re going to get a cup of coffee and come out and their car is gone.” said Wing.
Concerning the drug problem, police have been able to isolate a majority of the drug incidents to the areas around Terrace Avenue and Bedell Street. While this is not to say drug incidents do not occur elsewhere, they have targeted these two streets as being high-drug areas. An initiative was created at the beginning of this year targeting buyers with undercover officers pretending to be drug dealers in order to apprehend approaching buyers.
“Our undercover operations have been quite successful.” said Wing.
With its high minority population and surrounding smaller towns, it is unlikely that Hempstead will have low crime rates but as Chief Wing said, the numbers are steadily improving.
Mayor Hall said: “Just because we are predominantly minorities here that does not mean we can’t have a nice community where everybody could walk through the community and feel safe, so that’s what I’m working on.”
Addendum
- To read the production memo for this article, click here.
- To read a transcription of the interview with Hempstead Police Chief Joe Wing click here.
- To read the transcription of the interview with Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall click here.
- To take a look at Hempstead crime statistics, click here.
