NYC Top Cop Says City Had Safest January on Record

NEW YORK (VINnews) – NYC top cop says the city recorded its safest January on record, with sharp declines in shootings and homicides across all five boroughs, according to new NYPD data released Monday.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said homicides fell 60% compared with January 2025, while shooting incidents dropped 20%, reaching the lowest levels ever recorded for the month. The city logged 40 shootings and 47 shooting victims, both new January lows, the department said.

Manhattan and Staten Island went the entire month without a single homicide, while murders declined in every borough citywide. Overall major crime fell nearly 7% compared with a year earlier, driven by significant drops in burglary, robbery and retail theft, according to police statistics.

Burglaries declined nearly 30%, robberies fell about 10%, and retail theft dropped 16%. Tisch credited a more targeted enforcement strategy, particularly against organized shoplifting rings, saying the approach has increased arrests while keeping stores open and accessible.

Transit crime moved in the opposite direction, rising 6% in January, with 174 reported incidents compared with 164 during the same month last year. Police also reported a 6% increase in reported rapes citywide.

The crime gains come as the city continues to face criticism over basic services following recent winter storms. More than a week after snowfall, piles of uncollected snow remain visible on sidewalks and street corners across many neighborhoods, residents say, narrowing roadways and complicating transportation. Trash bags in some areas have gone uncollected for more than a week, adding to complaints about sanitation and street cleaning delays.

Despite those concerns, Tisch said the crime data reflects sustained progress by the department and growing public confidence in safety across the city.