PATERSON – The Paterson Police Department today released its preliminary year-end crime reporting numbers for calendar year 2023. The data shows significant decreases in the numbers of murders, shootings, shooting victims, aggravated assaults, sexual violence, and robberies. In 2023, shooting incidents were one-third lower than in 2022. The number of shootings is the lowest in more than a decade in the city of Paterson. When looking at the fourth quarter of 2023—between October and the end of the year—overall shootings saw a decrease of more than 40%. In addition, 160 firearms were recovered by the Paterson Police Department in 2023, preventing further tragedies.
In calendar year 2023, Paterson saw a 33.3% decrease in shooting incidents compared to 2022 (66 vs. 99). This includes a 43.5% decrease in shooting incidents in the fourth quarter of the year compared to 2022 (13 vs. 23).
- There were 17 murders in 2023 compared with 28 in 2022 (-39.3%).
- Shooting victims decreased 25.2% (95 vs. 127).
- Robbery decreased 22.6% (332 vs. 429).
- Aggravated assault decreased 15.8% (1,098 vs. 1,304).
“We made a promise to our residents that we will deliver a safer city for them, and that is exactly what we are doing,” said Officer in Charge Abbassi. “These statistics are encouraging, but we must continue to drive down fear and disorder in Paterson while separating the signal from the noise. Our focus on accountability and policing excellence remain steadfast, and the men and women of PPD are rising to the challenge for the people of Paterson. I would like to thank Governor Murphy, Attorney General Platkin, our Passaic County Prosecutor and Passaic County Sheriff, and all of our federal and state public safety partners for their continued support of the Paterson Police Department. Crime is going down across the country but no community is seeing the same decrease that Paterson is.”
In October 2023, the Paterson Police Department began releasing weekly CompStat Crime Data reports so the public can be informed of the latest crime data in the City of Paterson and keep track of the progress being made under the leadership of Officer in Charge Isa Abbassi to reduce crime and dispel fear and disorder in Paterson. CompStat is a performance management system that is used to reduce crime and achieve other police department goals. CompStat emphasizes information-sharing, responsibility and accountability, and improving effectiveness.
Part of the decline in crime is attributable to the Summer Crime and Quality of Life Strategy, which was made possible by Governor Murphy and Attorney General Platkin’s ongoing commitment to Paterson through the allocation of State resources, personnel, technology, and nearly $1 million dollars in additional summer funding. It was implemented Memorial Day and continued through Labor Day, the period in which most major cities see an increase in criminal activity. Other strategies in place include a violence reduction initiative, in which Paterson Police officers provide additional coverage to dedicated hot spots, and the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, in which police resources are positioned to reclaim and revitalize portions of the community that have been challenged by significant public safety and quality-of-life concerns.
Throughout 2023, the department held various listening sessions to hear directly from the people of Paterson and work towards sharing the responsibility of public safety. The input from these sessions has been used to create Officer in Charge Abbassi’s 2023 Strategic Plan for the department. In order to open other lines of communication, officers began carrying contact cards in late 2023 to give community members a way to reach out to them or the department to check on the status of police reports, send a compliment about their interaction with an officer, and get information on filing a complaint.
“2023 saw some big changes within the Paterson Police Department, all for the better of PPD as well as public safety in the city,” Officer in Charge Abbassi continued. “I look forward to 2024 to continue the improvements made to the department and our strategies to make sure community members feel safe while they walk down the street in Paterson.”