Central Division posted another drop in Downtown crime this week, dragging the overall crime level down 10% compared to last year.

The 10% drop includes all violent and property crimes. Looked at individually, violent crime is down 13% and property crime is down 9%. Departing Central Area Capt. Blake Chow, who cedes the job of Central's top cop to Capt. Todd Chamberlain on Jan. 3, reported the numbers in his latest community newsletter.

The annual decline comes after Central saw a 2% up-tick in 2008, as it battled its own good numbers from the previous year when crime tumbled 30%.