New York, NY —

2007 may be New York's safest year since the NYPD began keeping reliable records on homicides in 1963. Police say if things stay on track, the city will have fewer than 500 murders this year.

New York City's homicide rate reached an all-time high of 2,245 in 1990, making it the murder capital of the nation. Officials also credit the drop in crime to moves made by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, who put nearly two-thirds of all graduating police in areas known to have more crime, instead of splitting them evenly throughout the precincts.

So far there have only been 457 murders as of this Tuesday, about 16 percent fewer than last year this time a number officials attribute to a large number of reclassified homicides, involving victims who were injured years ago but died in 2006.