By KIMBERLY ACEVEDO
With the closing of 2002, the raw statistics of crime throughout the city took a dramatic plunge, while arrest rates went up. Long Beach Police Commissioner John Laffey attributes the low crime rates to an increase in the ranks of officers and new equipment, leading to what he termed a fairly decent year for the LBPD.
Burglaries, grand larceny, auto theft and robberies dropped, on average, 27 percent. Felony assaults, however, increased slightly.
The total number of arrests for the year went up, paced by bold increases in arrests by the narcotics division and the detectives division, Laffey said. DWI and summonses also made a slight climb.
Last year the rate of reported burglaries dropped 45 percent. In 2001, there were 104 reported burglaries. In 2002 there were only 57 reported.
But, Laffey said, the dramatic decrease is partly due to the absence of a known burglar who stopped working in the area. Nicknamed the high-rise burglar, the suspect, Laffey said, was never identified or caught. And to be honest, he added, police don't know why he stopped working in Long Beach. The suspect was a pick burglar, one who picks locks, and he only took valuable merchandise.
He won a grudging respect from the Long Beach Police Department, Laffey said. He was that good.
Last year, robberiesÑthe forcible stealing of propertyÑdecreased 31 percent, from 51 to 35. Robbery isn't limited to one section of town, Laffey said. But after four robbery arrests by Det. Georgene League, Det. James Canner and Det. William Roach in the North Park area during the summer, that particular crime stopped increasing rapidly, said Laffey.
Since those series of arrests, we've really had no [reported] robberies in the North Park area, he added.
November and December were quiet months, Laffey said, especially for car theft, ending a year in which there was a 7 percent reduction in that crime. In 2001 there were 84 reported auto thefts, while 78 were reported in 2002.
Most of the time, Laffey said, auto-theft suspects are from out of town. High-end cars like the Lexus and Nissan Maxima seem to be the most popular targets of theft, he said. The cars usually meet one of three fates: a joy ride and a return to its owner in a state of disrepair, being chopped up for parts, or getting shipped overseas to a foreign buyer.
Not every crime rate dropped this year. The number of reported felony assaults increased from 67 to 70. Felony assaults involve injury caused by a weapon or a serious injury resulting from a weaponless assault. For example, a fight that ends with a broken jaw is considered a felony assault.
While Laffey couldn't fully explain the increase, he did say that within the last five years, domestic violence has played a role. In recent years, he said, police departments across the nation have been paying more attention to domestic violence.
In the past, Laffey said, police were told not to get involved. But now, police step in immediately. If there are evident injuries, officers will arrest the suspect. If it's an argument, police will inform the couple of several options they may have to resolve the conflict.
Increasing numbers in crime statistics are not always a bad sign, the commissioner said, particularly when it comes to arrests. The detectives division saw a 29 percent increase in arrests last year. Ninety-nine arrests were made by the department in 2002, compared with 70 the previous year. The division handles several crimes, including robberies, narcotics and criminal mischief. Laffey could only attribute the increase in arrests to good old-fashioned police work.
Last year, the narcotics task force had a 40 percent increase in arrests. Forty-three arrests were made last year, while 25 were made in 2001. According to Laffey, his officers have kept constant pressure on suspected drug dealers and users. Usually, he said, the narcotics task force spends an average of six months investigating a case.
DWI arrests were up 13 percent. In 2001, the police logged 47 arrests, and last year there were 54. The police department has been cracking down on DWIs by setting up checkpoints throughout the city. Stopping drunk drivers continues to be a high priority for the police department, Laffey said.
Last year, more than 14,000 summonses were issued for infractions, up by about 1,500 over 2001. Infractions include disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and parking violations. As the police closed out the year, the total number of arrests was up from 418 in 2001 to 468.
The commissioner is optimistic that 2003 will be a good one for the department and local residents. He said the police are continually striving for a steady decrease in crime. The new year, for the department, will see fewer retirees, along with four or five new officers, and four new police vehicles.
City to buy new vehicles, equipment
The city will hold public hearings on the purchase of new vehicles and equipment and the opening of two new stores at its next public meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. on the sixth floor of City Hall.
Officials anticipate bonding $610,000 to buy 10 new vehicles and equipment, almost all of which are replacements.
The City of Long Beach gets a tremendous positive use out of our automobile and truck fleet, Councilman Leonard Remo said. However, there comes a time when . . . the police cars, which have very hard mileage, need to be replaced for safety and efficiency.
The replacements include three Long Beach police cars, a police SUV, a backhoe, a watering truck, a vacuum truck and a tractor. Added to the city's fleet will be a new ambulance and a tractor.
The cost of the police vehicles is estimated at $101,500. The backhoe, watering and vacuum trucks and two tractors are estimated to cost $382,500, and the estimated cost of the ambulance is $126,000.
Two additional public hearings will be conducted to consider the waiving of off-street parking for a Chinese restaurant, to be located at 227 E. Park Ave., and a Mexican take-out restaurant, at 251 W. Park Ave.
