Serious Crimes Rise in Sheriff’s Jurisdiction
Areas of Los Angeles County under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Department saw an increase in homicides, gang-related crimes and other serious offenses in 1991 over the previous year, according to statistics released this week.
Homicides in unincorporated areas and contract cities patrolled by sheriff’s deputies increased 7% from 391 in 1990 to 421 in 1991, the statistics showed. During the same period, rapes increased 6% to 971 and robberies went up 10% to 10,648. Gang-related murders increased 22% from 170 in 1990 to 207.
Throughout the county, gang-related homicides increased 12% to 771 in 1991.
“I never thought we would exceed†last year’s gang homicide figure, Sheriff Sherman Block said.
In the Narcotics Bureau, arrests were down 22% to 20,987. Block said he did not have an explanation for the decline, but denied that it could be attributed to the uproar that followed the March beating of motorist Rodney G. King by Los Angeles police officers.
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