Sheriff's Department: Homicides down in Los Angeles County
Lowest since 1975
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The number of homicides over the past 12 months in Los Angeles County is down 12.5 percent compared to the same period last year, the sheriff's department reported today.
Between November 2009 and November 2010, 169 homicides had been reported, compared to 191 over the previous 12 months, continuing a trend that has seen a 50 percent drop in murders over the past five years.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the number of annual is the lowest since 1975.
Homicides were down in some areas, but up in others.
The Compton sheriff's station reported 26 murders over the past 12 months, compared to 38 over the previous 12 months, a 31.6 percent decrease, while the Century station reported 24 homicides, compared to 32 the previous 12 months, down 25 percent.
However, the Temple station reported a 76 percent increase in killings and the Carson station reported a 65.3 percent increase in murders. The number of murders also went up in East Los Angeles, Lakewood and San Dimas.
The report also noted declines in reports of violent crimes and serious property crimes, although the Altadena station reported a 43.8 percent increase in property crimes.
The report details reported crime statistics for the unincorporated communities and 42 contract cities policed by the sheriff's department and includes numbers for this year, last year and 2005. The 100-page report can be found at www.lasd.org.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Violent crimes in areas patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department declined by more than 12.5 percent in the first nine months of 2011 compared with the same period last year, according to the department.
Serious property crimes declined by 3.5 percent in sheriff’s patrol areas countywide during that period, compared to the first nine months of 2010, according to the sheriff’s department.
LOS ANGLES, Calif.—Residents can safely dispose of unused and expired medications at participating police and sheriff’s stations on Saturday, authorities said today.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles Police Department will hold disposal stations as part of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Take-Back Day.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Leaving the fireworks to the professionals this July Fourth is a safer alternative than setting off pyrotechnics yourself.
That’s the message from safety officials to residents of Los Angeles County cities that allow the personal use of fireworks.
All fireworks are illegal for personal use within the city of Los Angeles, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
CARSON, Calif.—A BP worker died in an accident at the company’s Carson refinery today.
The man, a longtime employee whose name was being withheld, was working in an area where railcars are loaded with light refinery products when he was pinned by a piece of equipment just before 8 a.m., BP spokesman Walter Neil said.
Los Angeles County sheriff’ deputies and Cal/OSHA investigators will handle the accident investigation. The body will be turned over to coroner’s investigators for an autopsy, once the on-site investigation is done.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A three-day count of the homeless population in much of Los Angeles County will begin tonight in the San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles.
What is billed as the nation's largest count of the homeless is conducted every two years and is headed by the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority.
