L.A.'s crime rate is down to 1950s levels (Los Angeles: home, live)

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

You guys are missing the point by quite a bit. Yes crime is down. No doubt about it. I feel safer out. Even in the rougher areas. And the numbers support that.

I have zero doubt that LA right now is a MUCH safer place than it was in the early 1990's.

But there is no way in hell its as safe a place as it was in the 50's. And thats the comparison that LAPD has been trying to make. And its not a vailid comparison.

I'll also note that much of LAPD's emphasis has in the past few years correctly been on violent crime, while ignoring enforcement on property crimes. However, that continues despite the record decline in violent crimes. LAPD patrol officers pay all of 5 seconds attention when they get called to a property crime scene. There are relatively few detectives assigned to auto burglary and other property crimes. I maintain that LAPD MUST disband its specialized units and assign ALL those officers to patrol duty, initiate a beat patrol program throughout the city, and revert all officers to a 5 day a week schedule.

I probably will not be a popular guy amoung the rank and file for suggesting this. But the truth is that the reason for putting officers on a 3/12 schedule(that they'd leave for other departments) is now gone. Few other departments are hiring, and those that are do not pay as well as LAPD. A 5/40 schedule benefits the citizens of LA by providing the most officers patrolling on the street as is possible. The citizens safety should have priority over the officers work schedule if there are no other mitigating factors.

Good points. The new chief was interviewed this morning & reported that the first months of 2010 have seen a drop of 25% over last year. I think all the city departments are laying off employees but it is unlikely that LADP will lose any officers. Villaraigosa promised more cops and it has worked. Lots of jobless people but only interesting crime are car chases on tv.

[shiphead]

Originally Posted by Island_OnThe_Land

Your post makes no sense.

Yes, the FREQUENCY has changed!!!! That is the good news: we are a safer city than we were 20 years ago. The crime stats are reported per captia to ADJUST for CHANGES in POP.

Are we a perfectly safe city? No, but the TREND is certainly encouraging.....

Why is it that conspiracy theorists seem to proliferate here on City-Data. Do you also think the moon landing was some kind of a hoax???

That was goofy calling me a conspiracy theorist.

Maybe there is a correlation between the status of the economy and crime? I welcome less crime in L.A. in hopes it turns into a better place.

[CAVA1990]

According to Steven Levitt you can thank legalized abortion under Roe v. Wade for the drop in crime over the past 15 years.

[CantWait2Leave]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

But there is no way in hell its as safe a place as it was in the 50's. And thats the comparison that LAPD has been trying to make. And its not a vailid comparison.

Exactly.

[matt345]

Wasn't LA, and the Old Bunker Hill neighborhood in particular, the inspiration for many film noir crime dramas in the 1940's and 1950's?

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

According to Steven Levitt you can thank legalized abortion under Roe v. Wade for the drop in crime over the past 15 years.

very true!

The 1950 census of Los Angeles: 1,970,408
Current census: 3,833,995

Basically the city has doubled in 60+ years. I wonder how large was the police force in 1950? What's good is that LA is not getting worse crime because there still is plenty out there.

[West of Encino]

Originally Posted by californio sur

very true!

The 1950 census of Los Angeles: 1,970,408
Current census: 3,833,995

Basically the city has doubled in 60+ years. I wonder how large was the police force in 1950? What's good is that LA is not getting worse crime because there still is plenty out there.

I think the LAPD in the '50s had about around 4500 - 5000 officers.

[Island_OnThe_Land]

Originally Posted by w1ngzer0

hmmm me thinks this article is deceiving people. The same crimes have being committed for years, its only the frequency that has changed. That of course comes with population numbers. This trend can be recorded all the way back to the 1920's. Sorry the 1950's weren't anymore safe then today.

Why do you think such agencies like the police, Scotland yard, and the FBI were invented?

If he thinks the Mexican mafia and drug cartel have magically disappeared and made California safe again. He is wrong. Don't give me that debbie downer ****, go look it up.

Ok, I'll drop the consipracy theory charges. But I still argue your post (esp. the bolded parts) makes no sense. The emprical data show a DROP in crime PER CAPITA.

So yes, the crimes are being committed LESS FREQUENTLY. Murder has been around for all of human history.....but nice to see the TREND is IMPROVING. Do you deny this is the case?

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by Island_OnThe_Land

Ok, I'll drop the consipracy theory charges. But I still argue your post (esp. the bolded parts) makes no sense. The emprical data show a DROP in crime PER CAPITA.

So yes, the crimes are being committed LESS FREQUENTLY. Murder has been around for all of human history.....but nice to see the TREND is IMPROVING. Do you deny this is the case?

Again you miss the point.

In terms of income and housing, I'd compare cities like Rosemead and Buena Park to Van Nuys, where I live.

I feel TONS safer in those cities walking around at say 11pm at night, than I do in Van Nuys(where I would not walk around at 11pm at night).

IMO there is a direct correlation of safety to enforcement of property crimes. At this point, LAPD pays minimal attention to property crimes. As a result, there are constantly opportunists driving and bicycling through neighborhoods looking for soft marks. This simply does not occur in those other cities patroled by different agencies(Sherriffs and Buena Park PD) where property crimes are documented and legitimately investigated, and not shuffled on desk by a 19 year burned out detective who can't wait to retire.

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

Again you miss the point.

In terms of income and housing, I'd compare cities like Rosemead and Buena Park to Van Nuys, where I live.

I feel TONS safer in those cities walking around at say 11pm at night, than I do in Van Nuys(where I would not walk around at 11pm at night).

IMO there is a direct correlation of safety to enforcement of property crimes. At this point, LAPD pays minimal attention to property crimes. As a result, there are constantly opportunists driving and bicycling through neighborhoods looking for soft marks. This simply does not occur in those other cities patroled by different agencies(Sherriffs and Buena Park PD) where property crimes are documented and legitimately investigated, and not shuffled on desk by a 19 year burned out detective who can't wait to retire.

You are relating personal experience\ opinion. There are neighborhoods in Van Nuys that are more dangerous than a few blocks away [just like in Rosemead & Buena Pk] but that doesn't reflect the overall area. If crime levels continue to decline year by year the likelihood of being a victim of crime also lowers year by year. If LAPD is lazy about property crime then maybe you could complain to the police station near you. But if stats show that property crime is lowering each year it appears your area is actually safer than you may be aware of.