Preliminary numbers from the state show that the three local cities that are part of a statewide initiative on gun violence and crime are continuing to grow safer.

The data show that in 2017 overall property crimes fell in Albany, Schenectady and Troy compared to 2016. Violent crime rose slightly in Albany but fell in Schenectady and Troy.

The report, from the state Department of Criminal Justice Services’ Gun Involved Violence Elimination Initiative, measures seven crimes and the impact guns have on those categories.

GIVE, which is entering its fifth year, provides technical assistance, training, equipment and personnel - such as prosecutors and crime analysts - to help communities reduce violent crime. The state granted $13.3 million in GIVE funding every year since the initiative's July 1, 2014 launch.

The decrease follows an overall trend of upstate New York cities becoming safer, though much of the decline was driven by a drop in property crimes rather than a fall in violent crimes.

In Albany, overall crimes fell just a bit, from 4,320 to 4,270. Most of the drop came from a decrease in property crimes, such as larcenies, car thefts and burglaries.

The city did see an increase in aggravated assaults, 567 in 2017, compared to 541 the year before. But murders, rapes and robberies all fell from the year before.

Troy saw the largest percentage drop as the city’s major crimes fell from 2,154 to 2,083, a 3.3 percent decrease.

But the city did see an uptick in murders, rapes and robberies from 2016. Six murders occurred in Troy last year, including the killings of two women and two children at a Lansingburgh apartment in December.

The number of aggravated assaults in Troy fell from 232 to 200.

Property crimes dropped as well, from 1,792 to 1,732.

Schenectady, which drove the county to the top of the state rankings in crimes per capita in 2016, saw a drop across the board. All violent crimes fell and overall property crimes decreased from 2,106 to 2,059.