As a follow-up to this week’s Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting, HRM Partners in Policing are releasing the 2010 first quarter crime statistics.

Overall crime is up 3 per cent when comparing the first quarter of 2010 to the same period in 2009.

Violent crime is down nearly 7%, including decreases in attempt homicides and assaults. But there has been an increase in robberies. Property crime has risen 12%, with increases in thefts and break and enters, and decreases in thefts of motor vehicle and frauds.

HRM Partners in Policing are continuing to stay the course with their crime reduction strategy to address the increase in property-related offences. They will continue to focus on hot spots policing, deploy  Quick Response and Street Crime Units to target the criminal element, monitor those who are on court imposed conditions, and put officers in close contact with the community to address crime as well as quality-of-life issues.