CIVIC CENTER — Murders and rapes were up slightly in July while overall major crime continued its downward trend this year, officials said Thursday.
There were 33 homicides compared to 31 last July and 149 rapes compared with 147 in 2015, according to numbers released by the NYPD.
Overall, major crime was down about 1 percent this year with 511 fewer incidents through the end of July compared with 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
“Very, very impressive and consistent numbers,” de Blasio said during a press conference at One Police Plaza. "When you see these kind of consistent numbers it tells you something profound has happened."
Overall crime in July was also down 7 percent compared to 2015, even with the jump in homicides, rapes and felony assaults, according to police.
The update comes just two days after Police Commissioner Bill Bratton announced he will step down in mid-September to work in the private sector.
Bratton's successor, Chief of Department James O'Neill, said he would continue with Bratton's push for more neighborhood policing.
Some activists have questioned the effectiveness of the policy, saying that the NYPD needs more systemic change to "Broken Windows" policing, which cracks down on quality of life infractions like turnstile jumping.
Dozens of protesters have been staging an ongoing protest in City Hall Park calling for abolishing the NYPD.
De Blasio, though, reiterated his commitment for neighborhood policing during the press conference.
"We know that we will become safer as we bond police and community," the mayor said.
"And that is an everyday effort. So every single time a community member has a good experience with a police officer and communicative experience, it’s going to want to make them come back and share more information."
