Crime In Nassau County Drops To Historic Lows

MINEOLA, N.Y (CBSNewYork) -- Crime in Nassau County is at a 50-year low thanks in part to new technologies and predictive policing, according to Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter.

The department is analyzing trends using data and technology, such as license plate readers and a system called Shot Spotter that uses sensors to pinpoint where gunshots are fired.

There were just over 26,000 crime incidents in 2016. That's down about 2 percent from the year before.

Major incidents such as murder, rape, robbery and assault fell 9 percent.

But one persistent problem is the explosion in the use of heroin and prescription painkillers, according to police.

One area where crime is on the rise is in the Seventh Precinct, which covers the Massapequas, Wantagh, Bellmore and Merrick. Police attribute that to heroin and opioid users committing burglaries and robberies to fuel their drug addiction.

EMTs used Narcan 460 times in 2016. There were 250 cases in which users could not be saved.