San Fernando Valley : Glendale Disputes Report That Crime Is Up

Violent crimes in Glendale were up 25% this year from 339 crimes in the first half of 1994 to 424 in the same period this year.

With those figures, Glendale not only ran against the nationwide downward trend of violent crimes, which include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, but opposed it to a greater degree than any other city the FBI reported on in Los Angeles County.

But city officials are not accepting those statistics.

“We don’t think that figure accurately reflects a trend toward increased crime rates in Glendale,” said police spokesman Chahe Keuroghelian. “The figures from the first half of 1993 and 1994 looked the same [as 1995’s], like there had been an increase, but they eventually leveled off.”

According to Keuroghelian, the six-month figures in 1993 show that there were 671 total assaults in Glendale while the year-end figure reported 678. He said the department will not look at the issue of an increase in crime until statistics for the entire year are calculated.

Meanwhile, Keuroghelian said Glendale police are noticing changes in the “type of violence” that is played out. He said police are seeing more juveniles involved in violent crimes and more domestic violence. He said in previous years even the weapons that were used were different.

“People are using more dangerous weapons these days,” Keuroghelian said. He added that handguns and steering wheel locks, such as the Club, have replaced baseball bats and fists as weapons.

To combat violence on the streets, Keuroghelian said, Glendale police started a community-based policing program. He said officers are trying to resolve situations where they are repeatedly called, such as domestic violence. He said there have been several arrests as a result of the program.