O.C.’s 7-Year Crime Decline Continues

Led by a plunge in burglaries and vehicle thefts, crime continued its seven-year decline during the first six months of this year, dropping by an average of 9% in areas patrolled by Orange County’s largest police agencies.

State Department of Justice figures released Wednesday indicate that the number of property crimes in the county dropped at a far greater rate than violent crimes--a reverse from previous years when homicides and assaults saw the biggest declines.

Violent crime fell 3% during the first six months of the year while property crimes dropped 18%. During the same period last year, violent crime was down 11% while property crimes fell 5%.

Police officials attribute the turnaround to a greater emphasis on preventing burglaries and other low-grade crimes through beefed-up Neighborhood Watch and merchant-education programs. In some departments, the shift in resources was possible because the drop in violent crime allowed officers more time for crime prevention efforts.

“Five years ago, burglaries in Huntington Beach were probably three times as many,” Lt. Chuck Thomas said. “But due to more people calling in, more sophisticated alarm systems, and more education on keeping doors and windows locked, we’ve seen a dramatic drop.”

Thomas and others said the drop also shows that residents are becoming more aware of crime and taking steps to prevent it.

In South County, for example, dozens of chaplains have received training from the Sheriff’s Department and speak to parishioners about reducing crime and improving their neighborhoods. The department is now expanding the program across the county.

“I think if you focus on quality of life as much as the traditional police work, you’ll see crime reductions,” Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo said.

Costa Mesa Police Chief Dave Snowden agreed, saying he’s noticed that residents are more aware of locking up their valuables and parking in safe, well-lit areas. In an effort to show residents that the department takes even the smallest crimes seriously, Snowden demands that his personnel complete full reports on all incidents that are called in.

But the State Department of Justice figures also suggest a possible plateau in Orange County’s free-falling crime rate, with Anaheim and Costa Mesa experiencing a slower reduction compared to last year and Orange seeing its second straight crime increase during this period.

“People have to realize that . . . crime can only go so low,” said Anaheim Police Sgt. Joe Vargas, whose city’s 4% drop compares poorly to the 16% drop over the same period in 1998. “Compared to the highs we reached [in previous years], we’ve recovered the ground we lost and then some.”

Still, officials said the statistics indicate community policing, improved investigative technology and aggressive crackdowns on gang-related crime are continuing to work--leaving Orange County with its lowest crime rates for more than two decades.

Since 1993, total crimes in the county dropped by more than 30% and homicides have fallen by half. During that period, the crime rate per 10,000 residents declined from 530 to less than 350.

While police often point to their efforts at suppressing crime, many academics also point to the aging of the population as the major factor, because males in their teens and 20s traditionally commit the majority of crimes.

The crime drop has triggered a welcome window of opportunity, officials said, with fewer offenses enabling detectives to spend more time reviewing old cases and allowing officers to develop closer ties to the community, two factors likely to push crime even lower.

Huntington Beach is considering a “cold case” program in which detectives review unsolved crimes from the past. Other agencies such as the Sheriff’s Department and district attorney’s office already have such units.