By IMANI HALL  

The 52nd Precinct held its last community meeting before going on a two-month hiatus. At the meeting, Inspector Nilda Hoffman outlined the nagging spike in reported crime this year, focusing her attention on any impending increase this summer.

Crime has so far climbed 2.6 percent from the same time last year, according to crime figures Hofmann noted. Shootings have risen tremendously in the past year, resulting in most officers having to work mandatory overtime shifts.

ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection system, was recently installed in pockets of the precinct, though it’s done little to bring down shooting incidents.

“Currently we are at 17 shootings versus nine last year,” Hofmann told an audience at Part of the Solution (POTS) on June 25.  Five of those shootings happened on 194th Street on the outskirts of Bedford Park, the result of a turf gang war that’s raged. It’s a reason why Hofmann’s deployed officers to the area.

“If you’re in the neighborhood, you’ve noticed that I have now 24-hour coverage on 194th Street,” Hoffman said about her new strategy.

Her plan has appeared to work. In the last month 194th Street has seen no shooting incidents since May 22, the day a young man was shot near a barbershop.

Giving the precinct an extra leg up in fighting crime recently is twelve newly assigned officers to the precinct. Many will be spotted walking the beat in tough neighborhoods, with two rookies assigned to one senior officer.

But Hofmann is not only relying on officers to lower crime numbers. She’s also recruiting the public, utilizing so-called Community Partners to “come out to community meetings, and meet with people in the community.” The idea is to establish a formal relationship between officers and the community.

The 52nd Precinct has done its share of community outreach, forging relations between officers and young people. On June 19, the precinct hosted an Open House geared towards young people.