Cambridge crime rates dropped to their lowest level in 35 years during 1997, according to the Annual Crime Report issued last week by the Cambridge Police Department (CPD).

In the Harvard area, all violent crime rates decreased. However, narcotics arrests rose 14.3 percent and arrests for shoplifting rose by 24 percent.

The number of reported crimes in Cambridge overall decreased 10 percent, from 4,951 in 1996 to 4,430 last year.

Violent crimes decreased slightly more than property crimes, showing an 11 percent drop.

Among violent crimes, rape decreased most significantly, from 34 incidents in 1996 to 24 last year, a 29.4 percent drop.

According to CPD Detective Frank Pasquarello, the drop in crime reflects increased cooperation between the police and the community.

"The community has been more actively involved in preventing crimes," he said.

"I attribute it to programs in the community, crime-watch programs and the expert work of the men and women of the Cambridge Police," Pasquarello said.

He added that the drop in the number of rapes is due in large part to self-protection groups, such as Rape Aggression Defense (RAD), and to "classes in alcohol-related date rape."

Pasquarello also cited the "help and work of the Harvard and MIT police departments" in combating crime.

According to the report, most shoplifting in Cambridge takes place at the CambridgeSide Galleria and the Harvard Coop.

Shoplifting is "something we're going to have to address," Pasquarello said.

Incidents which occur on Harvard property fall under the jurisdiction of the Harvard University Police Department and are not reflected in the Annual Report's statistics.

Cambridge's falling crime rates reflect the national downward trend, but according to the report, Cambridge has seen a sharper drop in most types of crime than other cities of its size.

"[Crime in] Cambridge has dropped tremendously," Pasquarello said.