New York murders 'at lowest for 40 years'

New York’s murder rate has dropped to its lowest rate for four decades, new figures showed today.

There have been 536 murders in the city this year, down from 612 during the same period in 2001.

Crime experts predict there will be fewer than 600 killings in 2002, for the first time in 42 years.

It continues a dramatic decline from the late 1980s and early 1990s when New York was considered the murder capital of the world.

At its peak in 1990, 2,262 people were killed.

Overall crime, including murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and car theft, fell 6% from last year, the New York Police Department said.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the drop was due to new initiatives including targeting drug traffickers and gun dealers.

One operation in upper Manhattan led to the arrests of 5,200 alleged drug dealers.

The commissioner said the fall in crime was also boosted by the extension of the zero tolerance policy targeting minor quality-of-life offences, which was pioneered by former mayor Rudy Giuliani.

He cited a controversial crackdown on the city’s homeless as a factor in the crime reduction.

“The numbers are impressive. You take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves,” Mr Kelly told the New York Daily News.