Orange County News
For Immediate Release Contact: Christopher Borek
Monday, October 05, 2020 845.291.3276, 845.238.4245c
District Attorney Hoovler and City of Newburgh Police Chief Amthor
Announce Results of Newburgh “Blue and Gray Detail”
Enhanced Law Enforcement Activity
Results in Reduction in Violent Crime
Assistance from New York State Police, FBI’s
Safe Streets Task Force, and Orange County Sheriff’s Office
Instrumental in the Success of the Initiative
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler and City of Newburgh Police Chief Arnold Amthor, on Monday, October 5, 2020, announced the results of the recent “Blue and Gray Detail” conducted in the City in May, June, and July 2020. That initiative provided additional law enforcement presence in the City, in response to a recent uptick in gun-related activity earlier this year. In addition to officers from the City of Newburgh Police Department, the detail included officers from the New York State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with additional support from Orange County assistant district attorneys and investigators.
The Blue and Gray Detail was a proactive initiative to provide additional police presence in the City of Newburgh on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, for the ten weeks ending July 18, 2020. Across the thirty working shifts that the detail covered, the results were exceptional. Highlights of the detail include:
Arrests
220 total arrests
72 felonies charged
15 violent-crime or gun-related arrests
122 drug-related arrests
24 arrests for driving while intoxicated
Arrests of over thirty members of groups in the City that are known to be
involved in violent crime
Seizures
Over fifteen pounds of marijuana
Over 5,000 decks of heroin
Over 200 grams of cocaine
Over 175 illegally possessed narcotic pills
Seven illegal handguns and three illegal long guns
Total value of drugs seized, nearly $100,000
In addition, the ten weeks of the detail saw significant reductions in violent crime in the City. Comparing the ten weeks of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights of the detail, with the previous ten weeks of those nights, the following reductions in crime were noted:
A 35% reduction in FBI Part I crimes (homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated
assault, burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson)
A 42% reduction in confirmed shots-fired incidents
A 17% reduction in firearm-related violent crime
A 70% reduction in gunfire reported by the City’s ShotSpotter system
“The results of the City of Newburgh Blue and Gray Detail were phenomenal,” said District Attorney Hoovler, “and represent another effort by our law-enforcement partners and my Office to stem the tide of violence in the City of Newburgh. The COVID-19 outbreak and misguided bail reforms enacted in Albany last year were, at least in part, responsible for the recent increase in violent crime in the City, and the detail was a valuable and effective response to that increase. I can’t loudly enough sing the praises of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the State Police, and the FBI, for their tremendous assistance in this effort. We couldn’t have done it without them, and their help was essential in making the detail the success that it was.”
“The City of Newburgh, and on behalf of the police department, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks for the support of our law-enforcement partners,” said Chief Amthor. “They provided invaluable assistance in our efforts to reduce gun violence and violent crime. And by those efforts, and its successes, serve to improve the quality of life of everyone here.”
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