By DAVID CRUZ 

On one hand it’s number two. On the other hand, it’s number four. But regardless of how crime is assessed in the 52nd Precinct, the trend has shifted upward, resisting a continued drop in crime across the Bronx.

Numerical statistics compiled weekly by the NYPD show the 52nd Precinct, covering Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge and Fordham ties with the 43rd Precinct with the second most reported crimes out of the 12 Bronx precincts.

The 52nd Precinct has experienced 345 crimes compared to 331 the same time last year, translating to a 4.23 percent increase so far this year, according to figures that ended March 8 by CompStat, the NYPD’s crime gathering tool. Powering that crime spike are robberies, where 90 cases were reported this year up from 67 the same time a year ago, according to statistics. New York State penal law defines robberies as a person forcibly stealing an item from another person.

Alarming community stakeholders is that most robberies have drifted to Norwood and Bedford Park (coded as NYPD sectors H, I, J, K, M and N), sleepier communities within the precinct’s watch. Crime is cyclical, with types of incidents varying according to seasons, though the timing of this year’s robberies seemed like an anomaly.

“Usually your robberies go down in the winter because it’s cold weather,” said Keith Singer, a professor at Monroe College’s School of Criminal Justice and a retired NYPD commanding officer lieutenant. “If it’s five degrees or 10 degrees out, who wants to commit a robbery? That’s what’s so baffling to me about the robberies.”

The Five-Two’s coverage is somewhat dichotomous. The precinct covers Fordham and Kingsbridge, two neighborhoods where violent crime is the norm. For now, Fordham is grappling with a swell of turf wars, which claimed the life of an 18-year-old on March 13. Three people were arrested.

Inspector Nilda Hofmann, commanding officer of the 52nd Precinct, has appeared at several community forums to address concerns. She’s a regular at the Community Council meetings and the Bedford Mosholu Community Association, where she explained that Borough Command has deployed extra troops to combat crime.

At the latest Community Board 7 meeting on March 17, residents heard from her second-in-command, Lt. John Korabol, who focused on CompStat’s monthly figures for the 52nd Precinct. Korabol told guests that crime went up 13 percent throughout the past four weeks.

“Any increase in crime is not good,” Korabol told an audience, adding that grand larceny cases have been the most problematic. That includes identity theft cases.

The NYPD turned down a request for the Norwood News to interview Hofmann over the recent crime trend, leaving some questions unanswered.

Interpreting the Numbers
Evaluating crime numbers cannot be assessed at face value. Oftentimes it requires a further analysis, particularly when reviewing percentage figures, which are either downplayed or greatly emphasized by the NYPD. Singer of Monroe College notes that one major category, such as felony assaults, can “really, really screw up the numbers.” “You could be down in murder, you could be down in rape, you could be a little bit up in robbery, you could be way up in felony assaults, be a little down in burglary, be down in grand larceny and possibly, depending on how those felony assaults are, you could be up in crime overall,” said Singer.

A look at the NYPD Digital Crime Map, a tool born out of a long-term investigation by the Norwood News, shows that the 52nd Precinct currently places fourth in crime with the ratio between crime and population being two for every 1000 people.

Praising the Five-Two
Up Marion Avenue, longtime resident Lily Rodriguez has noticed crime go up and down in the 20 years she’s lived in Bedford Park. She complained, however, that the NYPD response time drags, a nagging symptom of depleted city funds to hire more police officers.

Another neighbor who went by “Ms. John” has noticed crime drop significantly over the years since moving to the neighborhood in 1981. “There were a lot of stickups because at one point you had the heroin addicts,” said Ms. John, who routinely sees patrol cars cruising around the neighborhood.

Indeed, crime has decreased relative to 1993, when the neighborhoods saw 72 percent more crimes reported the same time that year, translating to 248 more crimes in the Five-Two.

Sam Ali, a 24-hour bodega owner at the corner of Marion Avenue and 194th Street edging towards Fordham, has been around the block for years. Police have not forgotten the neighborhood, Ali admits, though street fights, stickups and gunfights can happen at any given moment. Ali commended police, but knew their presence can be limiting. “Cops are doing their job, don’t get me wrong. But cops are not gonna be here 24/7,” he said.

The NYPD routinely offers tips to prevent one from being the victim of a robbery. Officers recommend purses be kept tightly around one’s person, never carry a wallet in their back pocket and keep headphones (usually a sign one has a smartphone) out of sight.

Editor’s Note: The next 52nd Precinct Community Council meeting will be held March 26 at Fordham United Methodist Church, 2543 Marion Ave., from 7 to 9 p.m.