Chief: crime rate relatively stable

In the last 30 days, the Norwood Police Department (NPD) has released several incident reports on serious felonies taking place in Norwood, including one apparent fatality.

On Monday, NPD Chief Christopher Padden organized police crime data from 2017 to year-to-date (YTD) 2025. In each category of crime, numbers have not significantly fluctuated. Padden stated that each category is part of the Incident-Base Reporting (IBR) system the department uses.

Definitions are as follows. Group A Crimes are essentially serious violent crimes, categorized as crimes against a person, property or society; each listed separately within Group A. Group B Crimes are less serious crimes, including driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and trespassing.

In terms of Group A Crimes, 2017 had 929 incidents, 2018 had 805, 2019 had 807, 2020 had 756, 2021 had 716, 2022 had 817, 2023 had 845, 2024 had 609, and 2025, so far, has had 635. For Group B crimes, the totals were 448 in 2017, 573 for 2018, 505 for 2019, 365 for 2020, 320 for 2021, 433 for 2022, 438 for 2023, 439 for 2024 and 416 so far in 2025.

The different categories of Group A crimes are shown in the graphic associated with this article.

Padden did state that 2025 is still underway, and those numbers may increase.

Statistics aside, Norwood has seen serious crimes and incidents in the last few months. The Norfolk Country District Attorney’s Office announced on Monday that it had arrested Isaiah Pierre-Mike, 19, of Norwood, for charges of manslaughter and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after an incident at 9 Hoyle St. at around 2 p.m. on Nov. 29. Pierre-Mike was arrested on Monday after an investigation by the Massachusetts State Police.

Pierre-Mike is charged in relation to the death of 25-year-old Anton C. Dowling of Boston, which was originally reported as a shooting. The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office stated that emergency room doctors trying to treat Dowling initially believed that the wound was from a gunshot, but the Chief Medical Examiner determined that, after an autopsy, the injuries were sustained from a sharp object.

Pierre-Mike was arraigned on Tuesday morning in Dedham District Court.

The previous Saturday, the NPD stated officers had arrested seven juveniles, aged between 13 to 15 years old, after allegedly stealing two vehicles and speeding around Route 1. The youths were reportedly from Boston and Worcester.

Before that, on Nov. 25, NPD reported arresting Alexia Porter and one juvenile charged with drug possession, armed robbery and improper storage of firearms. Since September, there were also highlighted drug incidents, a child pornography incident and a non-fatal shooting incident around Columbine Road.

Padden maintains that while crimes are relatively stable, that doesn’t mean residents’ concerns are not valid. He said these are serious issues that deserve serious thought and concern, and residents are not necessarily worrying unnecessarily. But he said there are other factors possibly at play here.

“Currently, Norwood has seen an increase in certain types of crimes that we are not used to seeing here, and that are specifically alarming to the public,” he said. “Your feelings of safety are often based on the perception of safety, which is influenced by many factors.”

Those factors include the visibility of crimes. He said high profile incidents can drive a heightened sense of insecurity. “Even when the overall volume of crime is down,” he said.

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The media and social media are also factors.

“We believe that we should be putting out everything, but sometimes that makes the public worry,” he said. “We are committed to transparency, but we recognize that increased visibility can temporarily affect the public's feeling of security.”

Lastly, he said violent crimes cause the most worry among residents, but Padden offered that most incidents are not random; they have a history. Nothing happens in a vacuum, even if it seems that way.

“In most cases these are not random crimes that target random people, and there is a low likelihood of harm to the general population,” he said. “However, they do create the highest level of fear and feelings of vulnerability for citizens.”

He said that the department will increase patrols and police activity in the areas most affected, and commended his officers in the work they do.

“I want to assure the people in the Town of Norwood that the men and women of the Norwood Police Department are here, and they are doing their jobs,” he said. “No matter what factors, or what obstacles we face, we will always be here, and we will be working to keep you safe.”