New York City's violent crime tumbles

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - The NYPD said that violent crime in the city has dropped to a historic low. But some critics are wondering if police should be doing more to stop the so-called quality-of-life crimes.

The phrase "long hot summer" refers to the traditionally high-crime months of July and August. But Mayor Bill de Blasio said this summer's declining crime rate is turning that phrase on its head.

Police always regarded the hot summer months as crime time, when there were typically more shootings and murders than in other seasons. The 41 Precinct in the South Bronx was one of the most crime-plagued areas in the city. But not this year. The mayor said the precinct saw no murders or shootings in August. He called that progress "extraordinary."

The NYPD said there was an across-the-board reduction in index crime -- that means reported major crimes -- of 6.4 percent compared to August 2016. Police credit a combination of precision and neighborhood policing, use of technology, and new investigative techniques.

Crimes that do not get reported to the police do not get counted. That means some more common crimes like credit card skimming, bank scams, and phone thefts are not included in these numbers.