New LAPD Chief Wants More Reporting of Crime

Speaking of a new day in LA, former County Sheriff Jim McDonnell is now the City Chief of Police. Richard Winton reports in the LA Times that the new chief expressed concern that the actual crime rate is higher than the official figures show because the people are reporting fewer of the crimes that are committed. This is a problem with crime statistics that we have noted many times on this blog.

Crime is trending down in Los Angeles, with homicides alone on track to fall 15% compared to last year, but newly sworn-in LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell is concerned that statistics aren’t telling the full story.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony Thursday to mark his arrival as the city’s 59th chief of police, McDonnell voiced concern about the perception of disorder — and the reality that crimes are going unreported because some believe nothing will be done to investigate.

“Our officers and professional staff are working very hard to continue to drive those numbers down,” he said. “But the perception of the public is based on a number of different things, and one of those things, I think, is that they would say reported crime is down because people don’t have confidence that anything is going to be done.”

That frankness is one factor that led Mayor Karen Bass to turn to McDonnell, 65, as the new chief.

I’m not a big fan of Mayor Bass, but give her credit for getting that decision right.