Nonviolent Crime Down in Madison in 2011

Going against the countywide trend, the total number of nonviolent crimes reported in Madison for 2011 was down nearly 17 percent from the previous year, at 98, according to the latest Uniform Crime Report.

While instances of burglary and larceny fell in Madison, reports of nonviolent crime were up 9 percent in Morris County overall and throughout New Jersey reports of nonviolent crime were up 3 percent, according to the 2011 Uniform Crime Report released Friday by the Department of Law & Public Safety.

The number of violent crimes increased by three in Madison over the previous year, with an uptick in robberies and aggravated assaults, bringing the total number of violent crimes reported to eight.

The report also notes how the number of police officers in each town changed year over year. In Madison, at 4.2 square miles with an estimated population of 15,845, the number of police officers dropped from 31 to 28 and the number  of civilian police employees increased from 6 to 7, representing a change in the total number of police employees from 37 to 35, the report says.

The report showed crime in New Jersey increased 3 percent overall. Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said in a news release about the report "the factors that influence crime trends are complex and interwoven" and law enforcement "remain committed to working harder and smarter to combat crime and protect New Jersey citizens during what remains a tough economic time for much of our state and our nation.”

The full report is available on the New Jersey State Police website.

Madison