LOS ANGELES, CA β Over the past two years, the number of homicides and shooting victims in Los Angeles has fallen by more than 25%, Mayor Karen Bass announced on Tuesday.
Just two days shy of her second anniversary in office, Bass emphasized the progress made in her crime reduction initiatives. Homicides have reduced by 28.1%, gang-related homicides have seen a decrease of more than 50%, and the number of shooting victims is down by 26.2% since 2022, according to Los Angeles Police Department data.
“Homicides are down, and our Fire Department has enhanced safety measures thanks to decisive actions aimed at protecting Angelenos, but we understand that many in L.A. still feel unsafe dailyβthat must be addressed,” Bass stated.
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“We are committed to responding swiftly to crime as it occurs, preventing crime from happening in the first place, and aiding our firefighters to ensure we create a safer Los Angeles for everyone,” she added.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell joined Bass and promised initiatives in the upcoming year to enhance safety by tackling burglaries, vehicle thefts, and robberies.
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The mayor also highlighted ongoing efforts to combat organized retail crime.
This year, the Organized Retail Crime Task Force and Cargo Theft Unit were established, leading to over 350 arrests and the recovery of more than $66 million in stolen goods, officials reported. The task force includes personnel from the California Highway Patrol, LAPD, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, and other regional law enforcement agencies.
Moreover, city officials noted that the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety has been successful in reducing gang-related crime through initiatives like Summer Night Lights and Fall Friday Nights.
Summer Night Lights served 316,800 community members with food, activities, and resources, enabled 12,534 youths to engage in free basketball or soccer games at local parks, and allowed 2,670 adults to join evening sports leagues.
Officials noted that previous reductions in crime were observed in areas where Summer Night Lights programs were implemented, and the LAPD is set to provide data for 2024 in January 2025.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley joined Bass at Tuesday’s announcement, underscoring additional advancements and initiatives aimed at safeguarding Angelenos. They mentioned that the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety secured unprecedented funding of over $50 million to upgrade outdated fire trucks and equipment.
City News Service
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