LOS ANGELES – The remarkable decrease in the number of aggravated assaults reported in parts of Los Angeles for 2005 may be overstated. Instead, the reduction was most likely the result of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) changing how it reports attacks.
According to the Daily Breeze, the LAPD eliminated some fights (like child and spousal simple assaults) from the aggravated assaults category, making it appear that the city experienced a big crime drop last year. The change resulted in hundreds or perhaps even thousands of incidents previously reported not being tallied for 2005.
The revisions in reporting may explain why the LAPD’s Harbor Division reported a reduction of more than 700 incidents from 2003 (1,359) to 2005 (631).
Statistically, there was an overall drop in crime of 14 percent last year, but according to LAPD officials, the drop was more likely about 10 percent.
