Scranton Finishes 2012 with No Homicides

Scranton, Lackawanna County - As people look forward to a new year, city leaders in Scranton are also looking back.

They have been analyzing crime data for the year 2012 and they say one statistic sticks out. During the entire year of 2012, there was no one homicide in the city of Scranton.

The city has roughly 75,000 people that live in it and thousands more commute into the city daily.

City leaders celebrated the statistic on Friday.

"I think our police department has always been active as opposed to reactive," Mayor Chris Doherty said. "We do a lot of saturation patrols in neighborhoods that people don't know about but the criminals do and we make their lives difficult."

Carol Cavallotti and her son just opened a business called Pop It! Jackets & Accessories near GreenRidge corners about three months ago.

She was happy to hear the news about the crime statistics.

"We feel safe here. We really do," Cavallotti said. "It's all lit. Shoppers can feel welcome to come at any time, whether it's day or night so right now I'm greatful to be in the city and have a business opened up."

Acting police chief Carl Graziano says you can't just look at the data for one year but have to look at several years together and look for trends.

Over the last ten years, Graziano says Scranton's homicide rate has remained low because officers have partnered with members of the community, homeowners and crime watch groups.

"I'm always a big proponent that criminals will take the path of least resistance and whatever barrier you throw up to the criminal your less likely to have crime in that neighborhood," Graziano said.

Mayor Doherty believes when city officials go after the "little things" like quality of life issues and blight that also plays a big role in stopping big problems before they begin.

"I've had other mayors come in and say, what are you doing with licensing and inspections and why does it work?" Doherty said. "We talk about it and it does work."