LA Crime Rate Drops to ‘Historic’ Lows
Posted on August 11, 2008
Filed Under Criminal Law, Felonies, Law, Los Angeles, News, Police |
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Police Chief William Bratton and City Council members are celebrating an across-the-board drop in Los Angeles crime rates that the mayor categorized as “historic” lows. At a news conference last week, Villaraigosa praised Chief Bratton and the Los Angeles Police Department, saying, “a tide of safety and security is surging throughout the neighborhoods of our city.”
All categories of violent and property crimes are lower this year compared to 2007, including gang-related crimes. According to LAPD figures, the overall crime rate is down 5.8% compared to the same period in 2007. Homicides have fallen below 2007 statistics despite an initial surge early in the year. By July 26, 2007, LA had experienced 216 homicides, compared to 212 this year. With only 19 homicides last month, July marked the lowest one-month total since March 1970. Rapes are down 15%, auto theft 8% and gang crimes 13.8%.
The mayor credited his initiative to hire 1,000 new police officers with having an impact on the city’s crime rate. With half the new officers on the beat, critics suggested the mayor might slow the hiring campaign. The mayor and police chief have been criticized for raising trash collection fees to finance LAPD budget items. Villaraigosa responded to critics, saying, “I’m looking them in the eye and saying, ‘I’m moving forward; I’m going to grow this police department.’ ”
Asked why Los Angeles crime statistics had dropped so dramatically, Chief Bratton say, “Cops — C-O-P-S — make no mistake about it.” He also credited LAPD’s new crime tracking process, CompStat, that computes daily crime data to send extra officers to trouble spots.
-LegalPro
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