The number of homicides in four of New England's five largest cities dropped in 2024, when compared to the year before.
It was an especially violent year in Springfield in 2023, with 32 homicides. But last year, that figure dropped to 17, which is more in line with the previous five-year averages.
Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers said the department deployed officers to known hot spots, to try to prevent major crimes before they happened.
"And when you're out there for the small issues, that may present a lot of the larger issues," Akers said. "If you nip it in the bud before it happens, I think that's what works. We put people in different places when we see where problem areas are, we try to saturate that area with people."
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno lauded the job done by Akers and his officers. He said going forward, he'll continue to push for bail reform, to make it harder for repeat violent offenders to be released while awaiting trial.
"That one or two percent of the repeat violent criminal offenders who always seem to find a way to walk out of the courts and then continue to perpetuate mayhem on our streets and in our neighborhoods," Sarno said.
The mayor has been proposing state legislation to tighten bail rules in recent years, along with state Rep. Angelo Puppolo, D- Springfield, but the bill has yet to gain traction. Sarno said it will be filed again for this legislative session on Beacon Hill.
Lavar Click-Bruce, who chairs the Springfield City Council’s public safety committee, agreed with Akers and Sarno. He added that community members are also doing their part, to alert authorities to issues in their neighborhoods.
"That also helps, being notified by residents and they're not being afraid for retaliation and everything's going to be, you know, undercover, where their identity won't be identified," Click-Bruce said.
Elsewhere in New England, Boston saw 24 homicides in 2024, the lowest number since 1957. There were also decreases in Bridgeport, Conn. and Providence, Rhode Island. But, in Worcester, 16 homicides took place, far above its average dating back to at least 2009, according to figures provided by the city’s police department.
