A 40-year low, but still too high…
Posted by banditos yanquis
There's an interesting story in today's Daily Breeze about the number of homicides that took place in the city of Los Angeles last year. Apparently, it's at a 40-year low.
From the story:
At Wednesday's press conference, Bratton said it's the effort of police officers, as well as community leaders, politicians and gang interventionists, that has brought about lower crime.
"This is one great story to get out," Bratton said.
[and]
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn said that despite the financial crunch, public safety will not fall by the wayside.
"I think this City Council is really firm in our commitment and our belief that public safety is our No.1 issue," she said. "Nothing else really matters if the city is not safe."
Hahn, who represents the Watts area, said things have improved dramatically since Christmas 2005, when 18 gang-related shootings led to seven deaths in the area.
****************************************
One great story to get out? Things have improved dramatically since Christmas 2005? That's great, but for the families of those 392 people that were killed last year, like Christopher Davenport, Laterian Tasby, Christopher Ingram, or Mario Sepulveda, there isn't much to celebrate about. In fact, I'm not so sure they'd appreciate being used by politicians as a statistic to tout for the press.
I'll leave you all with a quote from Tasby's uncle that was recently posted on the Homicide Report:
"I remember growing up as a kid that the family of some of my friends wouldn’t let their kids visit me because it wasn’t safe to go below Pacific. Nowadays people are afraid to venture beneath Gaffey. How much longer will it be before residents are scared to travel below Western?"
From the story:
At Wednesday's press conference, Bratton said it's the effort of police officers, as well as community leaders, politicians and gang interventionists, that has brought about lower crime.
"This is one great story to get out," Bratton said.
[and]
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn said that despite the financial crunch, public safety will not fall by the wayside.
"I think this City Council is really firm in our commitment and our belief that public safety is our No.1 issue," she said. "Nothing else really matters if the city is not safe."
Hahn, who represents the Watts area, said things have improved dramatically since Christmas 2005, when 18 gang-related shootings led to seven deaths in the area.
****************************************
One great story to get out? Things have improved dramatically since Christmas 2005? That's great, but for the families of those 392 people that were killed last year, like Christopher Davenport, Laterian Tasby, Christopher Ingram, or Mario Sepulveda, there isn't much to celebrate about. In fact, I'm not so sure they'd appreciate being used by politicians as a statistic to tout for the press.
I'll leave you all with a quote from Tasby's uncle that was recently posted on the Homicide Report:
"I remember growing up as a kid that the family of some of my friends wouldn’t let their kids visit me because it wasn’t safe to go below Pacific. Nowadays people are afraid to venture beneath Gaffey. How much longer will it be before residents are scared to travel below Western?"