LANCASTER/ PALMDALE – The crime rate in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale continue to be down in 2011, with a 16% reduction in crime for the first nine months of the year in Lancaster, and a 5.94 percent drop in Part 1 crime rate for 2011 in Palmdale. This according to press statements released by both cities Thursday.
Lancaster’s crime rate declines
Based on statistics reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), the crime rate for violent crimes, comprised of homicide, rape, robbery, and assault, dropped 12.3% in the first nine months of 2011, while the crime rate for property crimes, comprised of burglary, larceny/theft, grand theft auto, and arson, declined more than 17% for the same period. Projected through 2011 at current rates, Lancaster’s crime rate will have dropped more than 40% over the past four years. The residents and businesses of Lancaster, working actively with the City and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, have made Lancaster a much safer City, say city officials.
“Hard work by our neighborhoods and businesses, along with an unwavering commitment to public safety by the City Council and Criminal Justice Commission, continues to pay big dividends in keeping our city safe,” Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said in a statement. “As always, primary credit goes to Sheriff Baca and our brave deputy sheriffs, who work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to protect us.”
For the first nine months of 2011, the City’s 16% crime rate reduction resulted in 303 fewer serious crimes when compared to the same period in 2010 (3,011 vs. 3,314), a 9.1% decline in the actual number of crimes. The 16% decline in the crime rate takes into account the increase in Lancaster’s population, from a reported 145,875 in 2010 (State Department of Finance 2010) to 157,795 for 2011 (State Department of Finance 2011).
“While we are encouraged by 2011 crime reductions to date, we are ever vigilant in quickly addressing emerging trends. For instance, when we saw a spike in robberies, we immediately formed and deployed a Robbery Suppression Team. They have been active for just over six weeks now and have already made several arrests and solved many cases,” stated Lancaster Sheriff’s Captain Robert Jonsen. “We will continue this proactive approach to fighting crime.”
Palmdale’s crime rate declines
Crime statistics for the third quarter of 2011 has positioned the City of Palmdale at a 5.94 percent drop in Part 1 crime rate for 2011 with three months to go, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Palmdale Station.
Officials reported a .01 percent crime rate decrease in violent crimes and a 2 percent crime rate increase in property crimes for the third quarter of 2011 compared to the quarter of 2010. Year-to-date numbers are down significantly.
At current projections, Palmdale will enjoy its fourth straight year below the 300 crimes per 10,000 threshold, a target that was set by the City to reach by the year 2012. In the past five years, Palmdale’s crime rate has plummeted nearly 30 percent.
“Thanks to our continual commitment to the ‘safety triangle’ of partnering law enforcement, city staff and our residents, we reached our goal four years ahead of schedule,” said Public Safety and Community Relations Director Anne Ambrose.
“This is exactly what cooperation and teamwork between law enforcement, city staff and our residents produces,” said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. “Thanks to this cooperative attitude and hard work by everyone involved, the vision of making Palmdale a safe place to live and work is a reality.”
In 2009, Palmdale crossed the 300 crimes per 10,000 threshold with a rate of 294. That was followed in 2010 with a rate of 275 crimes per 10,000 people.
“It is our goal to continue to do all we can to keep bringing our crime rate down and make Palmdale the safest city it can be,” said Palmdale City Manager Steve Williams.
Via press releases from the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale.
Shunnon Thomas says
It is naive to think that a city or law enforcement can take credit for a drop in all crime rates.
No amount of law enforcement can influence crimes of impulse like murder, rape or assault.
It is a very rare occurrence that law enforcement ever shows up to interrupt a crime in process.
It is more common that they show up after a crime has been committed. Like our weather, crime goes through cycles based upon a variety of factors.
If crime rates go back up would the city or law enforcement, doing exactly what they are doing right now, take the responsibility as well? Of course not so they yell “We need more law enforcement”!
Now I do believe there is a way to directly effect crime rates.
–work with me on this one–
An apple tree will have good apples and for many reason some good apples will become rotten. If you shake the tree both good and rotten apples will fall to the ground and get a bruise.
— I hope that wasn’t to abstract–
Scott Pelka says
Crime rates are down in Lancaster because the sheriffs do not come out and take a report when a crime occurs. Its so sad…
Abdul Majeed Askia says
The ideal approach to reducing crime is to create an enviornment where there is respect for life,an appreciation and value for life. This achieved by developing self respect,self esteem,self development and
self appreciation! As one developes a healthy sense of self a greater
appreciation of others also occurs ! We treat others the way we feel about ourselves! The golden rule is treat others the way you want to
to be treated ! A person with a healthy attitude has a tendency to lift
people up, encourage others and extend genuine respect;however,where there is rage, bitter feelings,poor self esteem, anger and inner turmoil
that individual subjects others to those hostile feelings and moods.Attitudes make a world of difference !We create our own reality,negative thinking creates enviornments ! Negative thinking creates negative behavior. Our enviornment reflects the attitudes of the
neighborhood. In order for the enviornment to be peaceful, the people
must be peaceful. Confusion starts in the head (our thinking). If we
correct the thinking we can change the enviornment (community).A change
of mind,a change of heart, a change of attitude will re-duce crime ! As a public speaker I know the way we think makes a world of difference !My desire is to connect with other like minds to create a peaceful atmosphere. Public speaker/Abdul Majeed Askia