The 2008 mid-year numbers are in and major crimes, categorized as Part-I crimes, showed a significant overall reduction for the Santa Clarita Valley as compared with the first six months of 2007. Forcible rapes were down 39%; business and residential burglaries declined by 13%; and larceny theft, which includes car burglaries decreased by 20%. The largest percentage decreases were reflected in the categories of homicides and arson.
Santa Clarita Valley violent crime, which includes homicides, forcible rapes, robberies, and felonious assaults, was reduced by almost 6% overall. In the City of Santa Clarita violent crimes decreased by almost 5% and the unincorporated areas decreased by nearly 8%.
The only category to show an increase was aggravated assaults, which increased by one reported crime, an increase of less than 1%.
There were some differences in the unincorporated county areas and the City areas, such as the increase in robberies in the City by 5, an 8% increase. This was countered by a decrease of 7 robberies in the unincorporated areas, a 33% decline.
The opposite was true of aggravated assaults. The unincorporated area showed an increase of 7 assaults, a 22% increase and the City showed a decrease of 6 assaults, a 5 % decline.
In both categories, the raw numbers for the entire Santa Clarita Valley area were very close, robbery decreasing by two and aggravated assaults rising by one.
"I am very pleased with the reduction in crimes," said Captain Anthony La Berge. "This reflects that deputies are working hard, the citizens have heard our public safety campaigns and are motivated to assist in the safety and security of their neighborhoods, and the teamwork between City and County officials and the Sheriff’s Department has never been better."
"One particular crime, larceny, which includes vehicle burglary and theft from unlocked vehicles, has been rising steadily for the last few years and it is fantastic to finally see a reduction in the number of reported crimes. This is a crime of opportunity which we have really targeted our messages to the public. The reduction in this area is attributable to the community’s partnership with law enforcement."
The Station has had several significant additions in the past year. The new City funded interactive website made it possible to provide information on crimes in the area and what the public can do to protect themselves, their financial identity, and their property.
Also, the City increased staffing by adding one patrol deputy and the Business Alliance Sergeant to create a business program and expand outreach to the business community.
The new Business Alliance program has successfully initiated business safety programs and provided information to City businesses on how to protect themselves from various crime trends. In the unincorporated county areas of the Santa Clarita Valley, the Board of Supervisors took major strides by adding nine new patrol deputies to enhance law enforcement services.
Over the last several years, station deputies were struggling with severe staffing shortages and were required to work a significant amount of overtime. As a result of a robust Sheriff’s Department recruitment and hiring effort many new deputies have been assigned to Santa Clarita Valley Station.
Currently the vacancy rate has been reduced and as a result of their efforts, arrests for the calendar year 2007 were up by 18%.
"I am very pleased with the reduction in crimes," said Captain Anthony La Berge. "This reflects that deputies are working hard, the citizens have heard our public safety campaigns and are motivated to assist in the safety and security of their neighborhoods, and the teamwork between City and County officials and the Sheriff’s Department has never been better."
