Homicides up in Hartford this 12 months, however so are gun and drug seizures by police – Hartford Courant

Homicides in Hartford are up this 12 months, with 39 to date in 2022 in comparison with 34 final 12 months, in response to police statistics launched this week to the Hartford Metropolis Council’s High quality of Life and Public Security committee.

On the optimistic aspect, gun and drug seizures have been up, too.

The numbers have been offered Tuesday night by Hartford Assistant Police Chief Kenny Howell. Howell stated 30% of the violence within the metropolis is pushed by unknown causes, which means the victims declined to speak about it and an in depth second is private disputes.

Howell stated there are companies to handle violence, however extra is required round battle decision.

“We have to educate folks on methods to resolve disputes with out resorting to violence,” Howell stated.

Whereas homicides have been up, it was a profitable 12 months for gun seizures, notably within the efforts to get untraceable “ghost weapons” off the streets. Ghost weapons are usually a mixture of elements ordered over the web and elements which can be home made, like from a 3D printer.

Howell stated they’re doing “every part crucial” to get ghost weapons off the streets.

To date in 2022, there was a complete of 353 weapons seized and of that, 57 have been ghost weapons. In 2021, there have been 341 seizures, 27 of them ghost weapons. In 2020, there have been 252 seizures, seven of them ghost weapons.

Of the 353 whole seized this 12 months that weren’t ghost weapons, there have been 319 pistols, 21 rifles, six shotguns and 7 assault weapons.

In response to a councilman’s query. Howell stated the weapons are coming into town from a number of states, together with Florida, Massachusetts and New York, and there’s no one place the place the circulate is concentrated.

Drug seizures by police are additionally increased than within the earlier two years and embrace:

• 69,432 baggage of fentanyl
• 13,122 grams of fentanyl
• 13,122 grams of fentanyl
• 37,442 grams of cocaine

Hartford cops have been additionally busy with visitors violations as effectively, clocking in 11,946 visitors stops. The violations included:

• 2,251 for dashing
• 1,099 for mobile phone use
• 973 for not utilizing a seatbelt
• 1,608 for not obeying cease indicators
• 1,516 for working pink lights

Powell advised the committee there’s a class of 18 police recruits for Hartford graduating on Jan. 26, 2022, and 57 within the pipeline earlier than background checks.