FBI Crime Report Shows Decrease In Violent Crime In New Bedford

There's been a sizable drop in violent crime in New Bedford over the past two years.

According to the FBI's 2016 Uniform Crime Report, 819 violent crimes were reported in New Bedford last year, compared to 1,199 in 2014. That's a drop of 31%.

FBI statistics were not available for 2015.

Mayor Jon Mitchell is praising the police for their ongoing response to crime, but the Mayor tells WBSM News, there are still problem neighborhoods that need attention.

"In the next couple of years, my plan is to ferret out problems in those neighborhoods by doing more community policing, putting in more cameras, and focusing on what people are seeing in their neighborhoods," said Mitchell.

The Mayor says the Police Department has made great strides under Chief Joseph Cordeiro and he expects that progress will continue.

"We're gonna get there," says Mitchell. "What we're striving to do is to make every neighborhood in the city safe, and also feel safe.

The FBI report also shows an overall decrease in the amount of violent crime in Massachusetts.