Figures Show Falling Crime in 1st Quarter

Overall crime in the San Fernando Valley fell 8.1% in the first quarter of 1996, according to Los Angeles Police Department statistics released this week.

LAPD Deputy Chief Martin Pomeroy attributed the decline to community policing programs in the Valley’s five police divisions.

Violent crime, which includes homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults, fell 4.4% during the year’s first three months compared to the same period last year. Devonshire Division logged the biggest drop in violent crime, falling 17.3% from 1995 figures.

Only the West Valley Division, which had the greatest drop in overall crime at 15.2%, had an increase in violent crime. It rose by 9.5% over last year.

Gang-related crimes fell 3% overall, with notable drops in the Foothill and Van Nuys divisions. Foothill Capt. Ron Bergmann credited his division’s new “zero-tolerance” task force, which focuses on the Van Nuys corridor where, he said, 33% of Van Nuys crimes occur.

The task force places 20 extra officers, in addition to the regular patrol, along Van Nuys Boulevard from Interstate 5 to Interstate 210, he said. Zero tolerance means officers ticket all violations, even minor crimes such as loitering or traffic and curfew violations, Bergmann said.

He said the work of the task force resulted in a 50% drop in robberies for the month of March, with none of those robberies reported occurring in the Van Nuys corridor.

“I’m not sure if this is the reason for the drop and I probably won’t be able to explain it if crime goes up in the next quarter,” said Bergmann. “But right now, it seems to be working.”