Tuesday, July 20 2010 - 09:56 PM
Down Again! Palmdale’s Crime Rate Continues to Drop
In what is becoming a consistent and positive trend, the City of Palmdale and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Palmdale Station officials have announced that crime statistics for the second quarter of 2010 are down once again. Officials report an 8 percent decrease in the number of Part I crimes reported.

Thefts were down 11 percent and burglaries decreased by 16 percent. “Last year we formulated a plan to attack burglaries,” said Palmdale Station Lt. Don Ford. “As we continue on that course, we’ve seen burglaries drop another 16 percent. Robberies have crept up, with 15 more incidents reported than last year. So, a plan was put in place to deal with the increase. In the three weeks the plan has been operating, the number of robberies is the same as the same period last year. We will continue to attack this issue with patrol and specialized resources being redirected by using near real time crime analysis and the coordination of Lieutenant Bob Jonsen through the Antelope Valley Crime Fighting Initiative,” said Ford.

The number of rapes reported dropped 7 percent. “Earlier this year we noted that rapes were up slightly,” Ford said. “Our analysis revealed almost all suspects were known to the victim, so we embarked on a prevention and education plan with Palmdale City staff and Neighborhood Watch groups.”

Arson incidents increased from the previous year. “There are several causes for the increase,” Ford explained. “Several cars were burned, as well as a few vacant houses. We often see an increase in this type of crime during hard economic times and closely examine each case for evidence of insurance fraud. We have also seen several cases of juveniles setting fires, including five cases involving children from age 4 to 12 playing with fire and two more cases involving teens setting small fires at school. In addition, there were also at least two fires tied to domestic violence incidents,” said Ford.

There were also more homicides in the second quarter of 2010 than in the second quarter of 2009. “Three of the four murders in Palmdale this year have been related to domestic violence,” said Ford. “These tragedies should remind us that in stressful times, everyone should seek help and support from friends and professional counselors before emotions erupt into violence.”

“I am particularly impressed by the great morale and hard work of the City staff and deputy sheriffs assigned here,” Ford said. “ In spite of early parole releases from the state, clogged courts and continuing economic pressures on governments and citizens, the deputies, code enforcement and public safety staff have continued to focus on moving forward.”

”This is a trend we never grow tired of seeing,” said Palmdale’s Director of Public Safety and Community Relations Anne Ambrose. “It’s something that is the culmination of years of proactive strategies, such as the much heralded Partners Against Crime program, and a very dynamic relationship between law enforcement, City staff and our residents.”

“I am extremely encouraged to see that the overall trend in crime continues to decline,” said Palmdale Station Captain Bobby Denham. “It’s a reflection of the combined efforts of the LA County Sheriff’s, City staff and everyone who participates in our more than 400 Neighborhood Watch groups. I want to encourage people to get involved and participate, partner and be active in their community.”

“It is gratifying to observe the continued fall of the majority of crime in our City, as it is a testament to the continued team work of our citizens, sheriff deputies, and City leadership,” said Palmdale Councilmember Mike Dispenza. “This is a significant fall in a short time and makes me proud of all who have contributed to this success. Our work is not over until every person in our community can say they do not bare the scars of crime and can truly live peaceably in our City. Keep up the great work.”

“Public safety is a top priority in Palmdale, and it really shows with results like this,” said Palmdale City Manager Steve Williams. “We will continue to work together with residents, law enforcement and City staff to bring the crime rate down and continue to make Palmdale an even safer City.”

Would you like to comment on this blog post? Login to talk back!