New Year’s greetings from the men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department. The following is the monthly update for January 2006. We hope you find the information useful. You are encouraged to continue to visit our website at www.lapdonline.org as it has recently been redesigned and updated. CHIEF’S MESSAGE - “Cops Count” As each year passes, the Los Angeles Police Department continues to make outstanding reductions in crime, making Los Angeles a safer city for all. But we are not alone in that trend. According to the National Crime Victims Survey, violent crime rates across the nation have declined so significantly since 1994 that the country is on track to reach the lowest level recorded since the survey’s inception in the early 1970s. There are those who will argue that demographics, lower unemployment, and other influences have played a major role in this historic downturn in criminal activity, but the fact of the matter is that these are only influences. The sustained focus of law enforcement, our assumption of responsibility and accountability for crime prevention, and our unwavering efforts, applied in spite of tight budgets and thin resources are really what has led to the reduction in violence in every major city around the country, and here in Los Angeles in particular. In short, “Cops Count.” They are the difference. They are heavily invested in the cause. Their efforts and partnerships directly translate into fewer crime victims, fewer lost lives, and fewer families struggling to recover in the aftermath of crime. In reviewing some of the outstanding successes during 2005, where LA “Cops Count” and where our officers have made great strides in crime reduction, it must be noted that as of mid-November, every geographic police station Area in the City showed double-digit reductions in total violent crime figures. The average reduction for all 19 Areas was 28.8 percent. Several geographic Areas stand out as extraordinary, including Foothill, which is on track to post the largest reduction in total violent crimes in the City with a 49 percent decrease over last year. West Los Angeles and North Hollywood Areas are on track to share second place with a reduction in total violent crimes of 38 percent. Mission Area is right behind with 37 percent, West Valley Area at 35 percent, Wilshire Area at 34 percent, and Newton and Van Nuys Areas at 30 percent each. Areas with violent crime reduction between 29 to 20 percent include Devonshire, Southwest, Southeast, Rampart, Hollywood, Hollenbeck, Pacific, Northeast, and 77th Street. Innovations into the way our officers police this City have much to do with our successes. “Cops Counted” in several Safer Cities initiatives, including one in the Baldwin Village area. Southwest Area officers, City Attorney personnel, City Council representatives, and community members developed and implemented a variety of strategies. One component of the project, a Federal Task Force, culminated in a tactical operation that deployed both LAPD and FBI personnel. The Task Force served 17 Federal arrest warrants, 11 State search warrants and 20 parole/probation compliance searches. The operation resulted in 18 arrests, the recovery of eight weapons, including two automatic rifles, and the confiscation of over two kilos of cocaine. Because of the outstanding efforts of this Safer Cities project, Part I Crime in the Baldwin Village area has been reduced by 22 percent. We continue to see the fruits of our efforts in other Safer Cities initiatives including the Alvarado Corridor Project that brought together police, local government, community members, and business resources to reclaim MacArthur Park and the surrounding area. The use of technology, such as the park camera project, allowed for the installation of closed- circuit television cameras to be linked to Rampart Station. The park camera project was a partnership involving public funds and private contributions of both money and equipment. In both of these projects, as in all of our success stories, cops have been the catalyst for the reduction in crime throughout the City. Perhaps for the first time in history in America, the continuing decline in crime has positioned our profession at the tipping point for change as our influence can positively affect the ethnic and racial tensions, and the mistrust that has plagued the country, our cities, and the law enforcement profession. Those of us in law enforcement are at the fork in the road where we can now take the high road and improve our relationships with the people we serve rather than continue the practices that lead to tension and mistrust. We must embrace issues of transparency, and strive for better working partnerships with all of those in the criminal justice system and with the public we serve. It is not enough to continue to drive crime down, we must at the same time, through compassionate and constitutional community policing practices, improve the relationship between the police and the public we serve. This is particularly true in our poorest and most disadvantaged neighborhoods and communities. This won’t be easy. It’s hard work, but if we keep trying, I believe the role of the police will evolve from distanced protector and rapid responder to a true partner and catalyst for meaningful social change. So as we celebrate our successes of the past year, we look toward the challenges of the coming year with the confidence and optimism that we can continue to make things better. CRIME STATISTICS - CITY-WIDE Year to Date as of December 31, 2005 Homicide Down -6.0% Rape Down -16.3% Robbery Down -4.1% Aggravated Assault Down -40.0% --------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL VIOLENT CRIMES Down -26.8% Burglary Down -5.6% Burglary/Theft from Vehicle Down -12.6% Personal/Other Theft Down -11.7% Auto Theft Down -6.6% --------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL PROPERTY CRIMES Down -9.6% TOTAL PART 1 CRIMES Down -14.0% WILLIAM J. BRATTON Chief of Police To unsubscribe from this newsletter please click on this link http://listserv.lacity.org/cgi-bin/wa.exe?SUBED1=lapd_monthly&A=1