Residents Feel Less Safe in Homes, Poll Finds

San Fernando Valley residents feel less safe in their homes, according to a Los Angeles police survey released Tuesday, even though crime actually decreased in the Valley this year.

“It’s frustrating,” said Deputy Chief Mark A. Kroeker, who commands the five police divisions in the Valley, noting that Valley crime in the first six months of the year had dropped about 5% compared with the first half of 1992.

“The survey shows that the level of fear is still growing even when crime is coming down a little bit.”

The survey was taken for the second year as part of the community policing program instituted by Kroeker. The one-page survey was mailed to 1,000 addresses chosen at random throughout the Valley. The survey drew a 43% response this year, compared with 29% in 1992.

Respondents were asked how they felt about the safety of their neighborhoods, responding to statements by checking categories ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.”

Only 5% of this year’s respondents strongly agreed with the statement, “I feel safe in my neighborhood,” compared with 19% last year. Only 2% strongly agreed that the Valley is a safe place to live, down by half from 4% last year.

Some 84% strongly believe that the chances of becoming a crime victim in the Valley are greater now than five years ago, an increase of 13 percentage points from 71% last year.

Kroeker found some bright spots. About 65% of those who responded agreed that Los Angeles police officers in the Valley could be characterized as “friendly and concerned,” an increase of seven percentage points from the 58% response received last year.