LOS ANGELES — Reports of crime decreased in Los Angeles in 2023, and for the first time in nine years the city saw more traffic-related deaths than homicides, according to the Los Angeles Police Department’s end of year report on crime statistics released Wednesday.
Mayor Karen Bass and LAPD Chief Michel Moore highlighted what they called the positive strides the department has taken in reducing overall crime at a morning news conference at LAPD Headquarters and elaborated on planned crime-fighting initiatives for 2024.
“As we confront 2024 head-on, we saw in 2023 a significant increase in traffic fatalities, fatal hit-and-runs, as well as fatal pedestrian and bicycle collisions,” Moore said.
The chief said the department will add uniform and traffic officers to increase enforcement of speed violations in the most impacted communities to go after impaired drivers and hit-and-run violators.
The report showed that most traffic-related deaths were a result of impaired driving.
Felony hit-and-run traffic crashes resulting in fatalities rose by 23% in 2023 compared to 2022, and DUI-related crashes rose by 32%.
Crashes in which a pedestrian was fatally struck increased by almost 13% in 2023 compared to 2022.
Though traffic-related fatalities increased, Moore lauded the department’s achievements in reducing overall crime.
“Los Angeles in 2023 achieved a 3% reduction in violent crime, reductions in every category, with just over 1,000 fewer victims of violent crime,” Moore said. “Most significant was the success of seeing 65 fewer homicides, which is a 17% reduction (compared to 2022).”
The department logged a total of 327 homicides in 2023.
The South Bureau, which comprises LAPD operations in the Southwest, Harbor, 77th Street and Southeast stations, experienced the largest drop with a 23% decrease in homicides in 2023 compared to 2022.
“In the second year in a row, we had not only fewer homicides but also had 127 fewer shooting victims,”…
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