Gun Violence, Robberies and Assaults Decrease in Atlantic City in 2014

Thanks in part to last year’s formation of the new Violent Crimes Unit, gun violence in Atlantic City in the first half of 2014 was down by more than 50 percent, according to a Press of Atlantic City report. The numbers come from the New Jersey State Police crime reports, the most recent of which compares crime statistics from January to June of 2013 to the same period in 2014.

According to the crime report, the number of robberies and assaults in Atlantic City in the first six months of this year were down considerably. In the first half of 2013, there were 195 reported robberies committed with a gun, knife, or other dangerous weapon. In the same period in 2014, there were 134 such robberies; a decrease of 31.3 percent.

The number of assaults was considerably reduced as well. From January to June 2013, there were 173 assaults, 41 of which were committed with a gun. In the first half of 2014, the total number of assaults was 84, and only 19 of those involved a firearm. The total number of assaults was down by 51.4 percent.

While most of the numbers imply that the crime rate in Atlantic City is going down, there were a few exceptions. In the first half of 2013 there were eight rapes reported, compared to 14 this year. The murder rate remained flat – three homicides were reported in both the first halves of 2013 and 2014.

Overall, the city’s violent crime rate decreased by 38 percent, with a total of 235 violent crimes reported, compared to 379 in the same period last year.

According to the Press of Atlantic City, the notable decrease can be attributed to the Violent Crimes Unit, which provides a unit of dedicated specialists worked to solve and prevent the city’s violent crimes.

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