Killings Decrease for First Time in 6 Years
For the first time in six years, the number of murders in Compton decreased last year, dropping to 78 from a 10-year high of 84 in 1989.
Overall, serious crime in the city dropped more than 9% in 1990, according to figures the Compton Police Department compiled for the FBI. A city of about 90,000 in Southeast Los Angeles County, Compton has experienced some of the Southland’s worst urban gang violence and drug trafficking.
Police Chief Terry R. Ebert and other city officials attributed the drop in crime to a reorganization of the Police Department that put more officers and reserve officers on the streets in patrol cars.
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