Central Los Angeles : Killings Up in Central L.A., Down in South

On the surface, the murder rate in central and southern Los Angeles was fairly stable this year. But in fact, the statistic is the product of two wild swings in opposite directions.

Homicides in the South Bureau, which extends from Crenshaw to Watts to the Harbor area, fell 23%, to 250 through the first week of December from 326 last year. Robberies were down slightly, to 7,122 from 7,756.

However, in the Central Bureau, which ranges from Northeast and East L.A. to Echo Park to downtown, murders rose 25%, from 262 to 328. Robberies were down to 8,122 from 8,855.

A factor to the rise in Central Bureau killings was the erosion of a Latino gang truce that law enforcement sources said had been imposed by the Mexican Mafia, a powerful prison gang.

The reasons for the decrease in South Bureau killings were murkier, but officials were nonetheless pleased.

“This is the first time in my recollection that we’ll probably see less than 100 [homicides] in a year,” said Thomas Maeweather, captain of the 77th Street Division, which includes much of South-Central Los Angeles and is seeing a 42% drop in murders this year. “That’s really significant.”

Community-based policing efforts may be contributing to the lower crime rate, South Bureau Lt. Mike Downing said.

“We’re teaching entire communities to be crime resistant,” he said, through setting up Neighborhood Watch groups and community police advisory boards.

Police have attempted to use more prevention-oriented strategies.

The Rampart Division, which includes Westlake and Pico-Union, adopted a philosophy of “market-based policing” this year to crack down on drug trafficking.

Narcotics officers went after suppliers, rather than just street-level dealers.