There were 516 homicides in the city last year , up from 520 in 2007 . That 's still a dramatic increase from 1990 , when there were 2,262 homicides . Though the figures are subject to change , the 2008 tally also represents a drop from the 596 homicides investigated in New York in 2006 . The NYPD cites its Operation Manhattan as a chief reason for the increase . The operation places more uniformed officers in areas where crime rates are high .
There were 516 homicides in the city last year , up from 520 in 2007 . That 's still a dramatic increase from 1990 , when there were 2,262 homicides . The NYPD cites its Operation Manhattan as a chief reason for the increase . The operation places more uniformed officers in areas where crime rates are high .