LOS ANGELES GANGS

Effects of gang initiative mixed
The LAPD crackdown has stifled street crimes in South L.A. but the Valley is another story.
By Patrick McGreevy and Richard Winton, Times Staff Writers
March 24, 2007


Two months into Los Angeles' much-touted gang crackdown, authorities appears to be making solid strides in South L.A. while struggling in the San Fernando Valley, according to an analysis of crime reports and arrest numbers.

The crackdown by the Los Angeles Police Department has resulted in more than 820 arrests, including the jailing of dozens of so-called shot callers or gang leaders, and a reversal of last year's increase in gang violence in much of the city.

Citywide, gang crime is down 6.2% so far this year, compared with a 15.7% increase last year.

The decline includes a dramatic drop in homicides. There have been 22 gang-related slayings through February, nearly half as many as the 43 killings during the same period last year.

Still, there is growing concern about a geographical imbalance, particularly as crime continues to rise in the Valley.

While gang crimes are down so far this year in the Central, South and West bureaus, they increased 16% in the Valley Bureau. That follows last year's 43% increase in gang crime in the Valley.

The increase this year includes a 21% jump in gang crime in the West Valley Division, home to the Canoga Park Alabama gang, which has been identified by the LAPD as one of the worst 11 gangs in the city.

The crime spike occurred despite the efforts of a special Valley gang task force of 50 additional officers.

That task force has made 461 arrests in the last six weeks, including the arrests of 61 gang members, officials said Friday.

Cmdr. Valentino Paniccia said gang crime is up because the task force concentrated on only two of the five divisions in the Valley and is just now shifting to others.

Officials also noted Valley crime is rising slower than last year.

"Our increase is decreasing," Paniccia said.

So far this year, officers have arrested 35 members of the Canoga Park Alabama gang, which is considered one of the worst because of several shootings of African Americans by Latino gang members.

"We've made over 20 arrests of shot callers and the most active gang members," Paniccia said.

The Canoga Park arrests included the March 18 apprehension of Edgar Ramirez, 20, and Pedro Rodriguez, 21, for allegedly spraying graffiti, including the gang initials CPA, on four apartment buildings near Mason Avenue and Cohasset Street.

Despite the crackdown, Van Nuys Division gang crime for the first two months is up 83% — 55 crimes compared with 30 at this time last year. But those numbers remain small compared to more violent parts of the city.

The police say the Valley is relatively safer than other parts of the city despite the continuing spike in crime.

In the LAPD's Southwest Division there were 124 gang-related crimes in January and February — much higher than any division in the Valley, whose leading gang-crime division, Foothill, recorded 71 gang crimes.

The crackdown is hitting especially hard against the LAPD's 11 worst gangs.

So far this year, the police have arrested 392 members of those gangs, according to figures released Friday.