Murder: Coppinger emphasized that any increase in crime, particularly murder, is disturbing. But the 50-percent increase in murder last year belies a trend that murders have decreased to about two or three incidents a year four for the last four years.There were three murders in three incidents in 2013. Each was a domestic incident and, in each, a person arrested at the scene of the homicide has been charged with murder.”We don’t have stranger murder,” Coppinger said.He said police believe the person who committed the first murder of 2014 also knew the victim, Hery Aquino, 29. But nobody has been charged with murder in that case and the investigation remains ongoing.{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”fc47f30a-8c56-11e3-88f1-001a4bcf887a”}}Rape: Rapes are difficult to predict, and, like murders, the offender and victim are almost always known to each other, Coppinger said.{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”d88e40d0-8c57-11e3-bc23-001a4bcf887a”}}Assaults: Assaults can vary from schoolyard shoves to violent beatings involving weapons, so it can be difficult to prevent or to predict assaults – particularly domestic assaults, Coppinger said. But police and court officials are trained to recognize signs of domestic violence or developing or escalating patterns of abuse.”We just hope that through prior incidents and getting those involved into court, we’re getting them the help they need with domestic-violence issues,” Coppinger said.He also said the department was applying for a grant to have a full-time mental-health clinician at the station to work proactively with citizens before a domestic disturbance turns into something physical or more serious.Robberies and burglaries: Coppinger noted, as he has in the past, that robberies and burglaries are difficult to predict, as one individual can be responsible for many incidents.Indeed, police in November identified a single suspect in ten robberies at convenience stores in the city and 21 convenience store robberies in the Boston area. Police identified that individual as Samuel Taste, 40, who was arraigned last week in Essex Superior Court on five counts of armed robbery, armed assault to rob, and receiving stolen property, a motor vehicle, according to an Essex District Attorney spokesperson.Coppinger said both crimes are often driven by drugs and was surprised – given the increased incidences of heroin overdoses – that each weren’t higher.Coppinger praised technology, particularly surveillance video, as particularly valuable in helping police combat robberies and burglaries. Technology has also made motor-vehicle larcenies increasingly difficult, he noted. Coppinger also praised a new ordinance requiring convenience store managers provide police with ready access to video surveillance footage or face a fine.{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”16cee836-8c58-11e3-a8bd-001a4bcf887a”}}{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”422e7906-8c58-11e3-ba0b-001a4bcf887a”}}{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”77cb5ef8-8c58-11e3-b319-001a4bcf887a”}}