Cambridge Crime at Its Lowest Level in 55 Years

The Cambridge Police Department today announced that crime in Cambridge dropped for the sixth consecutive year in 2016 to unprecedented levels not recorded since 1961. The results were released after the Cambridge Police Department’s Crime Analysis Unit recently finalized last calendar year’s figures.

Analysis of the overall statistics shows declines in both property and violent crime – 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively. Violent crime has declined by 75 percent since 1990, the most violent year on record in Cambridge.

“These historically low crime rates reflect the high quality and excellent service the Cambridge Police Department delivers to our community,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “I am proud of the men and women in the Cambridge Police Department and their dedication to ensuring the safety of all residents in our city.”

“Thanks to our officers, the collaborative and progressive approach of this department, Cambridge is safer today than it has been at any point in recent history,” said Cambridge Police Interim Commissioner Brent Larrabee. “In my short time here, I’ve been greatly impressed with how professional and hardworking the men and women of the Cambridge Police Department are, and it is their daily efforts that have greatly influenced the downturn in crime. These efforts, coupled with strong community collaboration and a commitment to deploying resources based on data and analysis, have been instrumental in making Cambridge a safer and more welcoming place for all who live, work and visit this City.”

The complete 2016 Cambridge Crime Snapshot can be found online at http://camb.ma/2016CrimeSnapshot.

A more detailed analysis of the patterns and trends associated with the 2016 Cambridge crime statistics will be featured in the 2016 annual crime report, which will be released this spring on www.cambridgepolice.org.

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