2023 was a deadly year for the Brass City as there were 18 lives lost to murder. There were gang-related murders, drug related murders, domestic violence related murders, and senseless acts of violence resulting in the loss of 18 lives in 2023. This has been the trend over the last 2 years with 15+ murders each of the last 2 years ( 23,22) which is becoming the norm for the Brass City. However, this was not always the case for the residents of the City of Waterbury, a town more associated with corrupt politics than murder rate, when as little as 10 years ago in 2013 the total murders for the year was 5 ( 2013). So what has happened in the Brass City over the past 10 years that have brought death to the Brass City? The Waterbury Times investigates.

Good ol days

Between the years of 2008-2011 the City of Waterbury had 23 murders which is an average of 5.7 of year. The mayor at the time was Michael Jarjura and for however history will remember former mayor Jarjura we all would take 5.7 murders a year.

A new sherrif in town

Ironically, the new Mayor-elect in 2011 was Neil O’leary, former Chief of Police during the times of a much lower murder rate, and there is no doubt that fact was a selling point to the voters which is why he won. The new mayor would deliver by having the murder rate decrease over his 1st two terms (2011-2015) to 5.2 per year. All would seem to be improving until 2016 when the mayor’s term in Waterbury increased from 2 years to 4 years and the murder rate would increase by 400% by Neil O’Leary’s last day in office in 2023. Let us leave opinion out and simply look at the numbers.

Shocking Numbers

There were 35 murders by the end of Mayor O’leary’s 1st 4 year term (2015-2019). That was an average of 8.7 murders per year which nearly doubled the previous 4 years span (2011-2015) ( also under O’Leary ). However, in 2019 Mayor O’Leary was reelected after he hired current Chief Spagnola to replace out going Chief of Police Riddick Jr. Under the 5 year watch of Chief Riddick ( 2013-2017 ) there were 37 murders which is a rate of about 7 per year. The follow 5 year span 2018-2022 under current Chief of Police Spagnola the City of Waterbury had 54 murders which is nearly 11 murders per years. With 2023 being the highest murder rate in history with 18 murders, which the most the City of Waterbury has ever seen. Who is to blame? Mayor? Chief? Maybe there is noone to blame?

Numbers never lie!…exaggerate..?…maybe.

The 2008 US census states the population of Waterbury was 107,037 residents. This was the year the murder rate was 5. Estimates from July 2022 had Waterbury’s population at 115,027 residents and the murder count for 2022 was 16. There are 8,000 more residents who now reside in Waterbury which is an under-estimation because we all know that not everyone is counted during census time for legal reasons and for not having a home address. There realistically could be 10,000 more people living in the City of Waterbury than there was in 2008. Many with no family ties, community tie, or any real connection to the Brass City except for an address. Waterbury has become an over-crowded melting pot of poverty and dispair intermingled with life-long residents who remember and long for the good ol’ days. The Brass City is evolving into a ” little NYC ” and the numbers would suggest the murder rate will increase. This increase will not be due to “Dems” or “Reps”, nor because of Mayors or Police Chiefs. This increase will continue until the City of Waterbury as a whole catches up to it’s new demographic.

New Waterbury City?

The Brass City may have a New England feel and a small town spirit but there is a big and bad wolf of City forming under the radar and the powers that be need run the City like it is New Haven or Hartford not like we are Seymour or Becon Falls. With the influx of New Yorkers, Waterbury is moving much faster in nearly every pocket of life and in 5 more years our population will outgrow Hartford! The politics ( and news ) need to get ahead of this energy before it takes control and runs wild.

So Now what?

It starts ( as cliche’ as it is ) with us. We can help lower the crime rate by accepting where we live and not live in fear because of it. We have to protect ourselves, our properties, our communities, and our quality of life. Noone is coming to save us. After we embrace that where we live is dangerous we will live more cautiously which is the 1st step towards eliminating fear. So buy that security camera, get the motion detection lights out, watch out for each other. The police can not stop crime when every area is the bad area. If we leave the criminals nowhere to hide and nowhere to go they will be easier to spot. We will never stop crime or violence totally however, we must do our part to atleast deter it.