LAPD Chief William Bratton Announces Crime Continues To Decline

Los Angeles: Following five consecutive years of a decrease in major crimes, Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton today announced crime has dropped another three percent during the first six months of 2007.

Today, at a news conference with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LA City Councilmember Jack Weiss and Police Commission President John Mack, Chief Bratton provided an update on the Department’s Gang Enforcement Initiatives and Part I Crimes.

As of June 30th, Part I Crime in Los Angeles had decrease by three percent. The most notable decrease has been in the number of homicides, a drop of 21% or 50 fewer homicides. Overall Violent Crimes have decreased by 7 percent, equating to 1,025 fewer crimes.

•Rapes are down 22.4 percent or 108 fewer crimes.
•Robberies are down 4.5 percent or 317 fewer crimes.
•Aggravated Assaults down 7.9 percent, 550 fewer crimes.

Part I property crimes have decreased by 1.9 percent.

•Burglary is down 3 percent, that’s 297 fewer crimes.
•Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is down 3.9 percent, 472 fewer crimes.
•Personal Theft/Other Theft is down 5.9 percent, 815 fewer crimes.
•Burglary Theft from Vehicles is up 4 percent, 638 additional crimes.

While Burglary Theft from Vehicles is on the rise, this is a crime that the public can help prevent says Chief Bratton. "This is an area where a partnership between the public and police can be effective." "We need the public’s help to be diligent about taking extra precautions to take the time to put their valuables in a safe place and out of view from would be thieves."

The Gang Enforcement Initiative was begun earlier this year to focus on reducing the number of violent gang crimes. Despite a 14-percent rise in 2006, LAPD Officers have made progress. As of June 30, 2007 there were 102 gang-related homicides compared to 143 during the same time period in 2006, 41 fewer for a reduction of 28.7 percent. The number of victim’s shot was also down 8 percent, 622 as compared to 720 in 2006, and the number of shots fired was down 8.9 percent, 1,257 compared to 1,380.

Citywide the gang crime statistics for each geographic Bureau are as follows:

•Central Bureau is down 0.7 percent
•South Bureau is down 4.8 percent
•West Bureau is down 14.3 percent
•Valley Bureau is up 14.8 percent

While officers continue to focus on gang crime, those same officers are becoming the targets of more violence. In the first six-months of 2007, LAPD officers have been shot at 14 times, compared to 9 for the same period last year, an increase of 55 percent. Five of these incidents occurred in the Valley. Overall there have been 53 assaults on officers by gang members this year, compared to 39 last year, an increase of nearly 36 percent.

"We are committed to reducing the incidents of Part I Crimes and Gang Crimes. I’m comfortable that by the end of 2007, the men and women of the LAPD will have achieved a 5 percent reduction in Part I Crime," said Chief Bratton.