What You Should Know
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District
Kudos To The Bronx!
You should know that after 50 years, for the second year in a row, the murder rate in Bronx County is under 100. According to a December 30, 2014 New York Daily News article, EXCLUSIVE: Murders in the Bronx under 100 for second year in a row: "The last time the borough had two consecutive years with fewer than 100 murders was in 1963 and 1964." For this, I have to give Kudos to the Bronx!
We all understand that even one death by murder is too many, and we pray to see the day when there are zero murders in the Bronx and anywhere else. Nonetheless, it is exciting to see that the crime rate here is coming down.
You should know that Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. should be proud that after 50 years, under his leadership the murder rate in Bronx County has decreased to figures this borough has not seen since 1963 and 1964. In 2013 there were 80 murders in the Bronx, and in 2014 there were 91.
According to the Daily News article:
"The NYPD started keeping modern records in 1963, and numbers showed a steady rise in murderous mayhem through the 1970s, ’80s and into the ’90s.
The peak bloodshed came in 1990, when 653 people were slain. The year before that, it was 484; the year after, 553.
It wasn’t until the late 1990s that the rate began to fall under 200 — but it stayed in that range for decades. In 2012, there were 114 murder victims."
My dear reader, with the Bronx murder rate under 100 for the past two consecutive years, we also have to praise the efforts of the New York City Police Department's Bronx Borough Commander, Precinct Commanders, and Police Officers. These statistics that show a drop in murder are proof that the NYPD is doing an outstanding job in its efforts to build strong community relations here in the Bronx.
We also have to recognize the efforts of the leaders of the many Bronx faith communities. Our many religious leaders, priests, rabbis, imams and ministers use their houses of worship to fight crime as they teach people to love and respect each other, strengthen family life, and obey the law.
Parents, Community Leaders, Community Organizations, and members of the community, that year after year coordinate and work hard to organize marches, prayer vigils, and activities against crime to bring peace and harmony among residents of the borough, they also deserve mention and recognition for their contributions to this magnificent news.
Like Hillary Clinton's book title says: "It takes a Village."
Ladies and gentlemen, I need to repeat that the loss of even one life is too many, and we need to see crime rates come down completely - but it is refreshing to see that for the second year in a row, the murder rate in the Bronx is under 100. Kudos to the Bronx!
This is State Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.
Editor's Note - State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. is the father of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
