Southern tier police departments say arrests are down significantly over last year

By Ryan Lessard
Granite State News Collaborative

Police from seven southern New Hampshire communities are reporting a decline in arrests during the months of March and April compared to the same time last year.

Police say the decline is the result of changes in procedures which sought to limit arrests in favor of court summonses for most misdemeanor crimes, in an effort to reduce the risk of COVID-19 contamination and indirectly to limit jail populations. Additionally, COVID-19-related closures of schools and businesses, and decreased road traffic have also resulted in less criminal activity, they said.

But some crimes, like domestic violence, appear to be on the rise.

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