At a news conference today held inside the 77th Area Police Station, Chief Bratton and Mayor Villaraigosa announced the dramatic reduction in the city's homicide rate. The numbers speak for themselves: 24% fewer murders and 32% fewer gang-related murders over the same period last year. The Chief attributed the drop to a combination of resources, expertise, help from the community and the collaborative effort between LAPD and government agencies working together under the South Bureau Criminal Gang Homicide Group, established by Commander Pat Gannon. The group of gang and homicide detectives works with 7 FBI agents, 2 Deputy District Attorneys, as well as City Attorneys and ATF agents to focus on solving murders, including gang murders and attempted murders in the South Bureau, the region of the city where the most gang-related murders occur.
Citing the latest homicide statistics, the Mayor remarked that Chief Bratton has his support. He also referenced that, over the past five years, homicides citywide have decreased by more than 43% while gang-related homicides have decreased by 46%. The Mayor stated the City is statistically as safe as it was 51 years ago, when he was 3 years old.
Commander Gannon addressed the media, and introduced family members of murder victims whose cases were still unsolved. These family members made pleas to the community for help in solving the cases of their loved ones. The young daughter of one victim was present and stood next to the Mayor, holding his hand during the conference.
The South Bureau Criminal Gang Homicide Group has cleared 84% of its total caseload thus far in 2007. The Chief stated the next Bureau to receive a Homicide Group will be Central Bureau, which includes Newton and Hollenbeck Areas.
Also present at the conference were Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, who spoke, as well as Los Angeles FBI Director Stephan Tidwell, Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Special Agent John Torres, Deputy Chief Charles Beck and Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger.
After the conference, members of the press were invited upstairs to tour the 77th Area Station Homicide Group's workspace.
The homicide rate decrease is something that we can all thank God for.
However, I think that the mayor's and chief's thanks are entirely misdirected. A new homicide unit can't possibly be responsible for a five year percentange drop in citywide and gang-related homicides.
Why is that every day street cops in the areas most plagued by gangs and homicides, e.g. 77th and Southeast, aren't given any credit?
Seriously, how are the men and women that work the streets daily given less credit than the politically appointed and motivated secondary responders?
Boo to both the mayor and chief for their power-motived BS. Imagine the Crime Rate in a Los Angeles where the powers that be actually backed the men and women on the street protecting the public.
Posted by: Master of the Obvious | June 01, 2025 at 03:28 AM
Master,
I am in complete agreement with your assessment. One of the reasons of the recent decrease in homicide rates is the extra street coppers out doing their jobs. With less homicides occurring, detectives actually have more time to work and solve cases. Patrol officers are doing a great job at crime scenes finding wits and preserving evidence. Additionally, those cowboy, insular, "warrior" Metro cops have been continuously deployed in Southeast, 77th, Southwest and Newton, also contributing to a decline in gang crime. The street warrior cops out there doing the job are ones who count, and are always the last to get credit.
Posted by: JB | June 02, 2025 at 01:51 PM
To Master of the Obvious.
If you had more than a minute on the job, you would know that any Homicide Detective worth his weight constantly thanks the hard working men and women of the department. For if wasn't for the hard working men and women, they know that solving a homicide is close to impossible.
Patrol and Gang Officers have always been the backbone of this department and always will be. But a cry baby like you, who just want to demean others is why division occurs within ranks. To call a homicide detective, a politically motived second responder just shows your lack of intelligence. So let me guess, your the type of officer who believes he deserves credit for doing his job. So when is the last time that you were able to find a witness and document what they saw, actually chased a suspect and made an arrest, be able to protect a crime scene without pissing off the whole neighborhood. My guess is never, unlike the other 99.9% of the department that is the backbone.
Posted by: Biff | June 04, 2025 at 07:54 AM
Aggravated assault is the true percentage that needs to be shown. It's not the murder rate, but the rate at which people are trying to kill each other that matters! People like Bratton and villaragosa like to trot out the murder rate like it's the barometer for a safe city, NOT! Not only should you thank us, the Warriors on the street, but how about the Doctors, Paramedics, Fire fighters, EMT's and Nurses! If the medical community were not able to save as many lives as they do, we would be looking at a drastic increase in the murder rate! Before you go patting yourself on the back Bratton & villaragossa, AGAIN, try and thank the people that actually are the reason for the drop, not your half baked political scams.
Thanks to the medical community from us Los Angelenos and Police Officers that know you had a huge part in the "drop in murder rate"!
As for my fellow Warriors, stay safe, this ride is going to get a whole lot more dangerous, inside and out, for us! Especially with cowards and hacks at the helm!
And furthermore, the Mayors statements infering the city is as safe as it was 50 years ago are laughable! That shows how out of touch with reality these guys are. This guy is a real piece of work.
Ed O'Shea
PS: This is for Ron - Warrior, the definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary -Warrior is a
Noun
1. Someone engaged in or experienced in warfare.
2.: a person engaged in some struggle or conflict
If you don't think we are engaged in warfare with the gangs of this city, OPEN YOUR EYES!
Posted by: Ed O'Shea | June 04, 2025 at 09:53 AM
Biff, Master, & JB....
I agree with all of your comments on this blog. But to Biff, Master never called you a politically motivated second responder. What I think he was trying to point out was the fact that neither Bratton nor Villaraigosa gave credit where credit was due. We all know that solving a homicide takes team work from all involved; Patrol, Gang Units, and the Detectives. We all know it's not done by the "Bars & Stars" of this department.
Any blue suiter will tell you that solving street level homicides is done by the ground pounders who work hard everyday; it's not by anyone who second guesses anyone from behind a desk.
Let me know if anyone agrees or disagrees.
Posted by: Code One | June 05, 2025 at 01:02 PM
I agree Code one!
Stay Safe.
Posted by: Ed O'Shea | June 06, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Biff -
Your anger is entirely misdirected.
I never called Homicide Detectives politically-appointed/motivated secondary responders. Had you read more than one sentence of my post without getting your blood up, you would have seen that.
The paragraph to which you are referring is bookended by sentences referring to the mayor and chief, and I didn't think it necessary to repeat that a third time. I see I was wrong.
Also, in saying:
"A new homicide unit can't possibly be responsible for a five year percentange drop in citywide and gang-related homicides."
I wasn't insulting detectives. Actually just the opposite if you would THINK A LITTLE BIT. A new unit can't be responsible for a 5 year decrease, that is a logical impossibility. Therefore credit was being given where credit was not due. Although I was speaking on behalf of street cops, the same thing could be said about the detectives. Why is a new unit and the commander involved mentioned, but not the detectives who have been working those units for the last five years?
In conclusion Biff, thank you for the myriad of insults and false conclusions. They allowed me to focus my point and clarify. I hope you have a wonderful evening and may your skin grow just a little bit thicker for the next post.
-Master of the Obvious
Posted by: Master of the Obvious | June 07, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Thanks Firefighters, Doctors, Nurses, EMT's and Paramedics for helping law enforcement on the street. It may not be said everyday...but it is in our thoughts and minds for sure!!! :)
Posted by: Observation Post | June 07, 2025 at 03:29 PM
Master of the Obvious.
Since you seem to be the person with the best insight. Could it be possible that they thank the new unit of detectives, because they are the same old detectives who for past 5 years have been working hard at solving the cases and convicting the murderers of these crimes.
Additionally, the Commander of these new group has been a Captain in South Bureau for the past 5 plus years working with the fine officers and detectives that are responsible for the reduction.
I don't care what you think about the Mayor or the Chief, your postion on them is obvious. Because anyone who has been around a while knows that since the change of the city's charter in 1992, the Chief will always be a political animial or potential puppet of the mayor. But the impression that you implied and continued to imply is why are the detectives that work this group and which support this group I.E. DA's, DEA, FBI etc. are getting the praise.
However, I do agree the (as I said last time) Patrol and Gang Officers of this department deserve the bulk on this credit. But because a press release omits that fact and praises their brother detectives is no reason to be up in arms.
Posted by: Biff | June 08, 2025 at 09:02 AM