CAMBRIDGE — The number of reported crimes, ShotSpotter alerts and shots fired calls is down in the first quarter of this year compared to last year in Cambridge, according to a new report from the Cambridge Police Department.
Cambridge Police Chief Justin Todd said he thinks this shows that crime in Cambridge is “trending down.”
“A lot of credit goes to our officers that are out doing what we’re asking of them to do as an administration,” he said about these decreases. “And that’s patrol with a purpose, be in our high-crime areas.”
Todd also attributes the lowering of these stats to the department’s work in getting guns off the street. He said last year, the department averaged getting one gun off the street per week in Cambridge alone.
“We know there’s more out there, and we know there’s still crime,” Todd said. “But we’re making progress.”
According to the report, in the first quarter of 2024, CPD submitted 200 crime incidents committed within its jurisdiction to the National Incident-Based Reporting System, a national reporting system for crimes used by police departments. That is compared to 247 incidents submitted in the first quarter of 2023.
This year, the majority of those incidents have been assaults.
The CPD report also states there was a 33.3% decrease in ShotSpotter alerts for the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2023. ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection system that has sensors that can detect and locate illegal gunfire incidents and alert law enforcement.
The CPD report states there was a 40.9% decrease in shots fire calls compared to the first quarter of 2023.
The first quarter of this year, there were 46 Shot Spotter alerts and 13 shots fired calls in Cambridge, according to the report. There was one shooting in that time.
Todd confirmed that shooting was on March 1 in the 800 block of Phillips Street. According to previous Dorchester Star reporting, police found several spent shell casings from multiple calibers of handguns on the scene. An arrest was made, following the incident.
Calls for service increased 9.1% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2023. Todd said this is a good thing because it shows that officers are out in the community doing their jobs.
Compared to 171 adult arrests, there were 42 juvenile arrests and referrals — eight juvenile arrests and 34 juvenile referrals — in the first quarter of 2024.
Although Todd said he didn’t have those numbers for this time last year, when it comes to juvenile crime, he thinks Cambridge is “stagnant.”
“I think there’s a lot of work to do with juvenile reform,” he said. “We have to put more emphasis on figuring out why these kids are out committing these crimes and getting in touch with families by working through social services and Juvenile Services.”
Todd said the department will have a better understanding of the state of crime in Cambridge come summer.
“When the kids get out of school, that’ll be a big factor of just how good we’re doing crime-wise,” he said.
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