Mayor Alex B. Morse and Chief James M.

Neiswanger announce
record low crime numbers in Holyoke!
Mayor Alex B. Morse and Chief James M. Neiswanger are proud to announce Holyokes record
low crime numbers! Crime is down over 15% for the last four years. Holyoke had 6,291
reported crimes in 2012. In 2015, there were 5,329 crimes. That is a significant reduction of
almost 1,000 crimes.
In 2000, the Holyoke Police Department started reporting our known crimes into the National
Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Crime in Holyoke is at its lowest point in the last
15 years.
Year

- Number of Crimes

2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015

8070
7540
7288
7039
6601
6907
6552
6866
7118
7176
6326
6291
6304
5688
5329

__________________________________________________
There are many factors which affect this trend to include our continued Community Policing
efforts; our many and varied outreach programs and the efforts of our School Resource Officers;
the close collaboration with our State and Federal law enforcement partners and the strong
support from District Attorney Anthony Gullunis office. This is also a direct result of all the
great work that the brave men and women of the Holyoke Police Department do every day to
help keep our citizens safe. The Uniform Patrol Officers are out there 24 / 7 and respond to
every call, be it a motor vehicle accident or an armed robbery. They do a magnificent job around
the clock. The Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Narcotics Detectives have their hands full
with major case work and conduct effective investigations which result in the seizure of
weapons, drugs and many arrests. Our detectives work hand in hand with the Massachusetts
State Police, The Hampden County Sheriffs Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and
Explosives (ATF).

Over the last several years, the Police Department has made reductions and adjustments to
facilitate the delivery of police services to the community. The City and the Police Department
are making significant progress with these downward trends in crime. These trends do not
happen without the focused efforts and support of many people who are trying to make Holyoke
a great place to live and work. We are counting on the continued support of Mayor Alex Morse
and the Holyoke City Council, both of whom have supported these efforts annually and we rely
on that support to allow us for continued effective police operations.