Large Cities See Big Drop in Homicide

Homicides in Orange County’s largest cities dropped by almost one-third during the first nine months of 2003, but rapes rose slightly, according to the California Department of Justice.

In the county’s eight cities with populations of 100,000 or more, 30 people were killed, down from 42 during the same period a year earlier.

Anaheim recorded the sharpest decline in killings: five in 2003 compared with 14 in 2002. Santa Ana had 13 homicides, down from 18.

Some cities reported slight increases in homicides. Fullerton had three, up from one in 2002; Irvine two, up from none; and Orange one, also up from none.

The trend in rapes wasn’t so heartening. The cities reported 242 from January through September 2003, up from 221 in the same period of 2002. Costa Mesa’s 28 reported rapes were more than double the 11 a year earlier. Santa Ana recorded 58, up from 45; Garden Grove 23, up from 13.

In Anaheim, rapes dropped to 58 in 2003, from 63 in 2002. The city reported declines in six of eight crime categories, with the biggest percentage drop in homicides. Police spokesman Sgt. Rick Martinez attributed the decline to aggressive enforcement in response to the many killings recorded a year earlier.

“We had a lot of murders in 2002 that were attributed to gang and drug activity. Last year we focused our resources on investigating gangs and narcotics enforcement. We’re seeing the benefits,” Martinez said.

Statewide, California officials reported a 2.3% rise in total crime during the first nine months of last year, but a 2.2% drop in violent crime, consisting of homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.