Crime and Police Reduction

Violent crime is down in Los Angeles, said Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck at LAPD headquarters Wednesday. There were almost 500 fewer such crimes reported this year than at the same time last year.

“We’re starting 2010 off very well,” Beck said.  “We’re down in every category of crime.”

Homicide, rape and robbery are all down double-digit percentage points in this time period, a nearly 15 percent drop overall, Beck said.  

But on Tuesday Beck made an announcement that the Department is cutting overtime hours for officers to make up for a $100 million budget shortfall.  So he said he will not be making many predictions about maintaining the crime reductions.  

“Because of budget issues, and some of the things we are going to be facing, it will be difficult for me to set a goal without knowing exactly what kind of resources I will have in the future,” Beck said.  “So I’m reluctant to set one at this point.”

The one prediction he will make is on the issue of gang violence.  

“Gang crime, I think we’re looking at a five percent reduction for the year,” he said.  “I think that’s more doable.”

But coinciding with the reduction in overtime hours will be fewer officers patrolling the streets.  Instead, the Department will be moving officers from specialized divisions, such as gangs and narcotics, to work in patrol.  

“Gang and narcotics division and metropolitan division are our biggest specialized units and because they are the biggest numerically, they take the biggest hits,” Beck said.  “They’re just the biggest pool I have to take from.” 

Around 178 officers have already been moved from these divisions and about 180 more will move in early March, Beck said. 

“Do I think this model of pushing resources out of specialized units is going to be more effective than our old model?  No,” Beck said.  “Because I’m trying to make up for this gap in overtime pay what I’m trying to do is make it as effective as we can possibly make it given the circumstances. “