EAST RUTHERFORD – The number of people being shot in New Jersey is on the way down. And so are auto thefts.

Gov. Phil Murphy highlighted the figures Wednesday morning at an event at police headquarters here. He was joined by Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way and law enforcement officials.

Crime is a public safety issue to be sure, but it’s also a very political issue.

Especially since the fallout from the George Floyd murder in 2020, Republicans like to accuse Democrats of being “soft” on crime.

Rhetoric is one thing; facts another.

New Jersey has long had a low crime rate compared to the nation and Murphy used data released today to confirm that.

In 2023, there were 924 shootings in New Jersey, according to the State Police.

But last year, that figure dropped to 778. Of those 778 shootings, there were 152 fatalities, a drop of 20 percent from 2023.

For comparison sake, the figures showed that 10 years ago, there were about 1,400 shootings in the state.

Pat Callahan, the head of the State Police, said the state’s homicide rate per 100,000 people is about two-thirds below the national average.

Murphy talked about the state’s tough gun laws and also the progress New Jersey has made in building trust among police and residents through community policing. Technology allowing police agencies to more easily share information is another help.

Automobile thefts sharply rose in New Jersey during and just after the pandemic. They’re still up compared to five years ago, but recent news is more encouraging.

There were 16,694 vehicle thefts in 2023. Last year, the figure dropped to 14,775.

The rise in auto thefts sparked legislation increasing penalties for juveniles and also a State Police auto theft task force that works to stop thefts and to recover stolen vehicles.

One of the speakers was James Tedesco, the Bergen County Executive, who said the county is the “ninth safest” in the nation.

There is some relevance here beyond Bergen.

Murphy will no longer be in office, but the state is getting prepared for the 2026 World Cup. A number of matches, including the final, will be played at MetLife Stadium just down the road from Wednesday’s events.

Needless to say, ensuring a safe environment is paramount.

In addition to legislation and anti-gun laws, the governor thanked “heroic community leaders” for the positive crime report. In a home rule state like New Jersey, that makes sense.

Murphy pledged to work this year – his last full year in office – to lower the numbers further.

“You never declare victory. There’s no number up there that’s zero,” he said.