The post Paterson Police Department Reports Significant Declines in Crime During Summer Months appeared first on New Jersey Office of Attorney General.
What happened
– Patrick Murray, Officer in Charge
The strategy included focused outreach and violence intervention efforts designed to connect with individuals and communities most impacted by violence, while Safe Parks, Safe Spaces and Community Fun Days provided safe activities and increased police-community engagement throughout the summer.
Key details
From June through August 2026 in Paterson, compared with the previous summer:
Shooting incidents decreased 73%, from 11 to 3.
Robberies decreased 27%, from 102 to 74.
Burglaries decreased 23%, from 281 to 217.
Thefts decreased 13%, from 298 to 259.
Aggravated assaults decreased 6%, from 269 to 253.
Simple assaults decreased 3%, from 344 to 335.
Motor vehicle thefts decreased 1%, from 203 to 200.
Murders decreased 75%, from four to one.
The reduction in shootings is particularly notable when compared with the summer of 2024.
Shooting incidents have declined 86%, from 22 to three.
Background and context
PATERSON — The Paterson Police Department is reporting significant declines across several major categories of crime during the summer months, with shootings, robberies, burglaries, and thefts all decreasing compared with the same period in 2025.
These decreases show the summer of 2026 was one of the safest in the city’s history.
Shooting victims decreased 73%, from 11 in 2025 to 3 in 2026.
Shooting victims have declined 89% over the two-year period, from 27 victims in June-August 2024 to three in 2026.
What officials said
These numbers reflect the continued work of the men and women of the Paterson Police Department to make our neighborhoods safer,” said Officer in Charge Patrick Murray.
While there is always more work to do, the historic reductions we are seeing in shootings and several other major categories of crime are encouraging.
We will continue to focus our resources where they are needed most and work with our community and law enforcement partners to build on this progress.
Why it matters to residents
The reductions come following the Department’s announcement of its 2026 Summer Public Safety Strategy, which was designed to address violence and other public safety concerns through a combination of enforcement, prevention, community engagement and technology.
Source and attribution: Jersey Alerts reviewed the primary official release from NJ Attorney General and any additional sources identified above. Names, dates, figures, quotations, claims and characterizations remain attributed to their cited source unless Jersey Alerts states that they were independently confirmed.
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