For the second year in a row, most major crimes decreased in the village of Oswego, according to information released by the Oswego Police Department.
In a news release sent by department spokeswoman Cathy Nevara, Police Chief Jeff Burgner reported that they’d seen a 19 percent reduction in the overall crime rate based on “part 1 crimes,” a state category including murder, sex crimes, robbery, aggravated battery and assault, burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson.
In 2016, 414 such crimes were reported in Oswego, down from 508 in 2015, according to the police department. Crime decreased in three of the seven “part 1” categories, but increased in four, according to the department’s figures.
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No murders were reported either year. Down were sex crimes, reduced from 14 to eight; burglaries, from 34 to 27; and thefts, from 438 to 250. Up were robberies, which increased from three to five; aggravated batteries and assaults, which increased from 10 to 12; vehicle theft, from eight to nine; and arsons, from one to three, according to the department.
Most part 1 crimes have been on the decline in the past few years, with 2016 at the third-lowest reported number since 2004 in Oswego, according to the news release.
Other offenses – “part 2 crimes” – experienced an overall decrease by 25 percent in 2016 compared with the previous year, police said.
Weapon offenses, domestic batteries, and certain alcohol- and drug-related offenses, such as possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence and illegal alcohol possession or consumption had the most marked declines, police said.
“These decreases illustrate the success of the dedication and partnerships that exist in Oswego, most notably between the police department and the citizens and businesses in the community that work together toward the goal of enhancing the quality of life in the village,” police said in the news release.
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