SPECIAL SQUADS HELP CUT CITY'S CRIME RATE

Hamilton police Chief Brian Mullan says special squads targeting drug
dealers and gangsters have helped reduce the crime rate.

"The increased enforcement of these units (the Gangs and Weapons
Enforcement Unit and the Vice and Drugs Unit) is showing dramatic
results in reduced crime levels," Mullan said in a crime statistics
report to be presented to the police services board today.

Data for the first six months of 2008 show a drop in murders from five
in 2007 to four this year and in attempted murders from four last year
to three this year. For the first time in seven years, the number of
robberies dropped from a high of 376 in the first six months of 2007
to 341 this year. Property crimes such as residential burglaries were
down 28 per cent over last year. Frauds were down 26 per cent and
vehicle thefts dropped 6 per cent.

"Just 10 years ago, Hamilton had over 5,000 house entries a year. If
this trend continues for the rest of the year, there will be just
under 1,500 break and entries for the year," Mullan says.