NORWALK — The Connecticut State Police Crimes Analysis Unit released its 2023 Annual Report on Oct. 30, detailing crime trends across the state based on data submitted by local and state law enforcement agencies through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
The report, which reflects statistics gathered for the Uniform Crime Reporting program, highlighted a decrease in crimes against both persons and property in the City of Norwalk, contrasting with mixed results statewide.
Notably, Norwalk saw a 5% decline in crimes against persons and an 11.8% reduction in crimes against property.
Statewide, crimes against persons fell by 3.8%, but property crimes bucked the trend with an 11.0% increase.
Conversely, crimes against society in Norwalk, which include offenses such as animal cruelty, drug violations, and weapon law violations, surged by 93%.
This stark increase is attributed to proactive measures by the Norwalk Police Department, particularly the Special Services Division’s targeted efforts to address illegal narcotics and weapon offenses, spurred by community complaints and intelligence on illicit marijuana and THC product sales.
Overall, Norwalk experienced a 7.7% decrease in crimes reported per 1,000 residents, dropping from 41.4 in 2022 to 38.2 in 2023.
Chief James Walsh emphasized the importance of the data for tracking crime trends to ensure effective responses and crime prevention strategies.
