New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today issued the following statement on the increase in rates of rape, murder and robbery in New York City over the past year:

It is troubling that murder, rape and robbery have all increased in New York City over the past year.  Although we face difficult fiscal times, fighting crime must continue to be a priority.  Indeed, keeping our city safe can become even more challenging during an economic downswing.

With the murder rate alone up by 25 percent, the Mayor should reconsider his proposal to cut funding for 1,000 officers.  It’s also time to address the low starting salaries for officers in our police academy, which barely rise above $25,000 and have weakened recruitment efforts.

After 16 years of declining felony crime rates, this is no time for retreat.

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