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Organization: Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station
Date: January 28, 2008
SCV Overall Crime Rate At Four Year Low
SCV 2008 Year in Review and Crime Statistics
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station is pleased to announce the release of the 2008 Part I crime statistics. Major crimes, categorized as Part I crimes, showed a significant overall reduction for the entire Santa Clarita Valley, reaching levels not seen since 2004.
These statistics, which include all major crime categories, such as homicides, forcible rapes, robberies, felonious assaults, burglaries, larceny, grand theft auto, and arson, indicate a 13.8% overall decrease in comparison to the same time period in 2007. In fact, overall Part I crimes have been decreasing in the Santa Clarita Valley for the past four years, dating back to 2004.
Although the majority of the Part I crimes were down, causing the overall decrease, increases were seen in aggravated assaults and robberies in some areas patrolled by the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. Reported incidents of burglary declined overall, but increased in some station areas.
In the entire Santa Clarita Valley, forcible rapes were down 17.6%; business and residential burglaries declined by 5.8%, and larceny theft, which includes car burglaries, decreased by 21.5%. The largest percentage decreases were reflected in the categories of homicides and arson.
In the City of Santa Clarita, burglaries were down more than 16% and thefts were down nearly 22%. The unincorporated areas of the Santa Clarita Valley saw the most notable reductions in homicides, 87.5%, as well as declines in robbery and theft.
Station officials are crediting the continued decrease in Part I crime to aggressive gang enforcement operations, innovative intervention programs, community relations and neighborhood watch programs, and the hard-working efforts of involved residents, patrol deputies, city and county officials, and station support staff. Deputies have been hard at work during 2008. They have been proactive and productive in sending a "Not in Santa Clarita" message to individuals who attempted to commit crimes in the Santa Clarita Valley. Although Part I crime was down in 2008, your deputies made a record amount of arrests, indicating that less crime is occurring but deputies are being more innovative and productive in catching those who do commit crimes.
In 2008 the County of Los Angeles added nine (9) patrol items to help enhance enforcement efforts and reduce response times in the unincorporated areas, while creating a very visible Deputy Sheriff presence to those who come into the Santa Clarita Valley considering committing crime.
Although Sheriff's officials are excited about the year-over-year decrease in overall totals, they caution that we cannot get complacent or cease our vigilance that has been so helpful in reporting crimes in progress throughout the year.
Captain La Berge, members of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's Detective Bureau, the City of Santa Clarita's COBRA and CIT teams, along with resources from the County of Los Angeles, including deputies from the Department's COPS and North County Crime Impact Teams, the City's dedicated full-time Probation Officer, and the station's crime analyst are analyzing the recent statistics to develop strategies to best address future areas of increased enforcement.
During 2008, the Sheriff's Station continued to conduct a significant number of gang enforcement operations. Sheriff's officials intend to continue that trend into 2009 with more zero tolerance gang enforcement and prevention efforts. Further efforts to reduce incidents of graffiti and gang related crime has been bolstered by the partnership between the City of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. The city's funding of the Sheriff's COBRA team, coupled with the forming of the Anti-Gang Task force, which involves multiple city and sheriff disciplines working together to reduce gang violence, has been very effective and productive in 2008. A 2008 yearly report completely outlining the task force efforts and success stories can be found in the Graffiti Task Force 2008 Yearly Report found at the following link: 2008 Yearly Report.
"In these tough economic times we must get and stay involved now more than ever," said Captain Anthony La Berge of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. "A troubled housing and job market, in concert with other economic challenges, can heighten domestic and business tensions and increase incidents of theft, robbery, and assault. Now more than ever it is time to keep an eye out for your neighbor, be aware of your surroundings, protect your valuables, report vacant houses through our new "Vacant House Check"feature on our SCV Sheriff Web site at www.SCVSheriff.com, and try to remain patient and understanding while facing tough family decisions and financial challenges," he added.
In 2008, deputies made 7,998 arrests, a 20.5% increase over 2007, and a 2-year increase of more than 34%, a number not seen in the station's history. In addition, your deputies responded to 54,886 calls for service, including 3,683 emergency (9-1-1) calls, and generated more than 80,000 self-initiated observation incidents and contacts, and documented more than 21,500 incident reports throughout the year.
The station's Traffic Safety Office is responsible for all traffic enforcement and traffic accident investigations in the City of Santa Clarita. In 2008, deputies assigned to the Traffic Department responded to more than 1,944 traffic collisions within the city limits, down from 2,200 collisions in 2007 or more than 13%. Of these collisions, eight involved fatalities and 110 involved suspected drunk or impaired drivers, including two fatalities. Your deputies also made 363 driving under the influence arrests and issued 15,755 traffic citations for moving violations, seat-belt, and equipment related offenses. Of these citations, a majority were issued in relation to excessive speed. Excessive speed was also a primary causal factor in many of the traffic collisions. Traffic investigators presented more than 1,200 cases to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration. Remember, Driving Safely = Arriving Safely!
In 2008, the City of Santa Clarita began a comprehensive commercial vehicle enforcement program with the addition of one specially trained deputy to focus enforcement on "big rigs" and commercial vehicles. The program's primary function is to protect our community from dangerous and overweight trucks, whose drivers are unlawfully traversing our local roadways, putting themselves and other motorists at risk, and damaging our roads. The deputy has already joined in collaborative efforts and force multiplier operations with the California Highway Patrol (CHP)and other agencies. The deputy issued nearly 500 citations since the launch of the program in July 2008. Other efforts, such as the City's red light cameras are also aiding in safer roadways for all our motorists.
Deputies, Community Services Assistance, Parking Control Officers, and Volunteers on Patrol also issued nearly 3,500 abandoned or illegally parked vehicle warnings, tows, and citations, and 451 warnings pertaining to the parking of over-sized vehicles. These efforts were primarily in response to community members who are concerned about illegal parking of cars and over-sized vehicles.
The City of Santa Clarita's Sheriff's Business Alliance (SBA) launched in July 2007, has helped businesses in the City of Santa Clarita protect themselves from crime and unnecessary losses during these challenging economic times at no cost to the business owners. The Sheriff's Business Alliance has been working throughout 2008 with local business owners, managers and their employees on crime prevention techniques and preventing crime through awareness and education. Producing a monthly "Lunch & Learn" program, the City and Sheriff's Station have coordinated classes on Fraud/Identity theft in the Auto Sales Industry, Retail Fraud and Loss Prevention, Bank Robbery Prevention, Workplace Violence and Drug Free Work Environment programs, Hotel Safety and Security program, Real Estate Fraud Prevention, Licensed Alcohol Sales Education, Commercial Identity Theft Prevention, and Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. In its short existence, over 400 participants and their businesses have worked together to prevent crimes in our local community through education and targeted prevention programs.
The station's Community Relations and Crime Prevention staff was also heavily involved with public safety efforts in 2008. Youth intervention programs in the city, such as Vital Intervention and Directional Alternatives (VIDA) were directly involved with assisting at-risk youth in Santa Clarita. The program provides positive alternatives, counseling, family action, community service, physical training, team building, and career guidance to youth in our community. VIDA helps redirect negative behavior of our youth, who may be tempted to explore gang affiliation, drug use, or crime. In the Val Verde area of unincorporated Los Angeles County, a deputy from the Sheriff's Youth Activities League mentors young people in sports and other community activities. The goal of the program is to help our Santa Clarita Valley youth reach their full potential and lead responsible and productive lives.
The Crime Prevention staff held more than 70 community safety talks, meetings, and presentations on such topics as Neighborhood Watch, identity theft, Internet safety, senior safety, School Watch, kids' safety, community safety, and special education. The unit was also involved in several community events such as the City's first ever E-Waste and Community Shred Day, Every 15 Minutes at local high schools, Youth in Government Intern Program, security and traffic control for the Amgen Tour of California Bicycle Race, the Santa Clarita Marathon, and the AT&T Senior Golf Tournament. They also had a presence at the Evening of Remembrance at Central Park Grove, the Emergency Expo, the Community Health Fair, Extreme Neighborhood Make over, and Teen Scene Unplugged.
Often overlooked are the deputies who patrol Pyramid Lake and the remote areas of Los Angeles County in the Santa Clarita Valley such as Gorman. These deputies handle all patrol, rescue, and law enforcement services for Pyramid Lake, which is located approximately 30 miles north of the station, and the surrounding areas. Theses deputies are also departmentally certified SCUBA rescue and recovery divers, known and used throughout the County of Los Angeles and in other parts of the nation when the need arises. In an effort to keep your recreational activities safe, the deputies issued 353 citations, were involved in 249 rescues and vessel tows, made five boating under the influence arrests, responded to two boating accidents, and had zero fatalities in 2008.
The station also boasts one of the premier off-road enforcement teams in the nation which is responsible for Hungry Valley Off-road Recreational Vehicle Park and patrol/enforcement efforts in all rural areas of the city and county, including areas in the Angeles National Forest. Recently the program has expanded to be used in conducting evacuations in rural areas during southland wildfires.
The station is also home to a dedicated and highly skilled Search and Rescue Team and other volunteer forces, made up primarily of Reserve Deputy Sheriffs and civilian volunteers. These reserve deputies and civilian volunteers assist in mountain rescues, lost or stranded hiker operations, vehicles over the side, wildfire efforts and evacuations, and disaster operations. The volunteers also help in all areas of station operations and patrol efforts right here in Santa Clarita. These volunteer programs alone save the County of Los Angeles and City of Santa Clarita more than $700,000 on average in operating and personnel expenses annually.
Our community continues to be safe because of your involvement! Several great arrests were made throughout the Santa Clarita Valley as a direct result of our residents getting involved, noticing something out of the ordinary, and calling our station. Information provided to our crime tip hotline and on-line crime tip reporting mechanism was also very beneficial in helping us identify and track down individuals who chose to commit crimes in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Keep up the great work! We need your eyes, ears, and involvement. This community is living proof that the police/community formula for safety works. Stay safe and remember: Preventing crime in Santa Clarita is everyone's business — "If You See Something — Say something."
Report non-emergency crime anonymously by visiting the following link: Crime Tips or calling (661) 284-2-TIP / (661) 284-2847.
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station is pleased to announce the release of the 2008 Part I crime statistics. Major crimes, categorized as Part I crimes, showed a significant overall reduction for the entire Santa Clarita Valley, reaching levels not seen since 2004.
