City officials are turning their focus to domestic violence as shootings and gun homicides fall to historic lows.
"As is often the case, when macro-issues like crime and violence in the aggregate improve, specific issues like domestic violence become more apparent," Mayor Malik Evans said at a public safety briefing Sept. 29.
The city has highlighted simmering domestic violence troubles before, the most glaring of examples including a 911 call for an attempted break-in by an ex-boyfriend that ended with three police officers shot days before Christmas last year.
Rochester police respond to more than 6,000 domestic violence calls per year, or an average of 16 per day. Roughly 60% involve some criminal element, Evans said. City officials plan to hold
a roundtable next month to discuss possible interventions. The issue is likely to become a top priority for officials as gun violence continues to decline.
Rochester gun violence continues to reach historic lows
Among the public safety data shared Tuesday:
- Gun homicides so far this year are down 68% compared to a 10-year average.
- Compared with 10-year averages, reported gunfire incidents are down 28% and the number of shooting victims is down 40%.
- City officials used an ongoing gun violence state of emergency to force the closure of seven properties tied to public safety concerns this summer, including a short-term rental on Monroe Avenue that repeatedly hosted large parties.
Evans contrasted the city's data with claims by critics and political candidates who have portrayed Rochester as increasingly unsafe.
"When numbers are going in the right direction, I believe that we have a right, a duty and an obligation to also talk about positive trends that are happening," the mayor said.
― Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on immigration, police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Instagram @bykaylacanne. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester turns focus to domestic violence as shootings fall
