Officials: Crime In NYC Schools Down 35 Percent, Weapon Seizures Up
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Crime in New York City schools has dropped significantly over the last five years, but the number of weapons confiscated from students is up, according to officials.
Officials say there has been a 35 percent decline in serious crimes and a reduction in summonses and school-related arrests, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.
School Chancellor Carmen Farina attributes the drop in crime towards special programs for students and the school system's partnership with the NYPD in their "Team Up!" program, which aims to foster proactive relationships between students and police.
"When we talk about the changed cultures in our schools, we don't mean that we waved a magic wand," Farina said.
However, school officials confiscated 2,053 weapons over the 2015-2016 school year, NYPD School Safety Chief Brian Conroy said.
"Prior to that, we recovered 1,673," Conroy said.
Most of the weapons confiscated were box cutters and knives.
"We're just being better at identifying the students that have weapons," Conroy said.
Farina says scanners will remain in public schools, but will be evaluated for effectiveness on an individual basis.