Extra Police Patrols Credited for 6% Crime Drop in May : Long Beach: It’s the first significant decline this year, but the trend may end soon when 70 officers assigned to the streets go back to their regular duties.

For the first time this year, Police Chief Lawrence Binkley can point to a monthly crime report and say there is some good news:

Crime went down.

The number of crimes in the city declined by 6.2% in May to 4,338 from 4,628 crimes reported in the same month last year, according to police statistics released this week. The number of crimes against persons, such as murder, rape and robbery, continued to climb during the month, while property crimes, such as burglary and arson, declined.

The overall decline is the first significant respite from a crime surge that has swept the city, said Binkley, who attributed the lower figures to the presence of some 70 additional police officers on the streets.

“It shows that having more cops on the street had a major effect,” Binkley said.

About two months ago, city officials announced that 70 officers would be temporarily reassigned to work patrol. The additional officers are either working overtime or have been taken off traffic, detective and administrative duties.

But that special effort, which has cost the city approximately $325,000, is expected to end in about two weeks, Binkley said. The chief said he is concerned that the crime rate will increase after those officers resume their regular beats.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to keep up this trend (without additional police),” Binkley said.

Last week, the City Council agreed to increase utility taxes and some city service fees to pay for more police. But instead of hiring additional Long Beach officers, the council is considering a plan that would have Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies patrolling the north and northeastern parts of the city. A feasibility study is expected back within the next 60 days.

Earlier this month, voters defeated a ballot measure that would have provided funding for 75 additional police officers.

Officials have been under pressure to do something about the crime rate, which has increased significantly in the last two years. Violent crimes, for example, were up 39% between 1988 and 1989.

The trend has continued this year. Serious crimes, such as murders, assaults and rapes, increased significantly in the first 5 1/2 months from the same time period last year, according to statistics released this week. For example, police reported a 48.6% increase in murders, a 30.8% rise in assaults, and a 12.7% increase in rapes in the period.

There were six murders last month, double the number in May, 1989. Aggravated assaults numbered 292. The number of rapes in the month rose 8.3% and robberies increased 6.8%, according to the police report.

But crimes against property, such as residential and commercial burglaries, took a dip. Residential burglaries, for example, decreased by 1%, commercial burglaries dropped 15.1%, and auto burglaries decreased 18.3%.

LONG BEACH CRIME COMPARISON

May May Percentage 1989 1990 of Change CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS Murder 3 6 +100.0 Manslaughter 0 0 0.0 Rape 24 26 +8.3 Robbery 276 295 +6.8 Assault 273 292 +6.9 Subtotal 576 619 CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY Residential Burglary 583 577 -1.0 Commercial Burglary 165 140 -15.1 Auto Burglary 680 555 -18.3 Grand Theft 226 183 -19.0 Petty Theft 414 335 -19.0 Bicycle Theft 227 208 -8.3 Auto Theft 552 600 +8.6 Arson 7 6 -14.2 Subtotal 2,854 2,604 TOTALS Total of Both Sections 3,430 3,223 -6.0 Total of Other Crimes 1,198 1,115 -6.9 Citywide Total 4,628 4,338 -6.2

Source: Long Beach Police Department