July 10, 2024
https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/lapd-crime-data-still-offline-site-dark-march-despite-millions-spent
The Center Square) - The crime statistics for the Los Angeles Police Department are still offline after months of transitioning to a new crime reporting system the department was supposed to have adopted in 2021.
With LAPD verbally reporting a significant increase in crime in the first six months of 2024, law enforcement experts warn the lack of crime data transparency could conceal rising crime risk for residents.
Last month, LAPD told The Center Square there were 438 gunshot victims and homicides were up 11%, robberies up 17.6%, motor vehicle theft up 5.2%, and burglaries up 2.4% year-over-year for January 1 through June 1 of 2024 compared to 2023. The Center Square filed a public information request for data on additional crime types on June 5, including property crimes such as shoplifting, with LAPD finally responding on July 1 that the department “does not house the records,” “is in the process of searching for the requested records,” and will provide an update by August 1.
LAPD started transitioning to the National Incident-Based Reporting System, which allows up to 10 crimes to be reported per incident, on March 1, 2024; the system it currently uses, which counts only the most serious crime in an incident, was phased out nationally in 2021. LAPD received a $1.1 million grant in 2016 for its transition, and another $2.2 million in 2022 and $3.5 million in 2023 shared with the San Francisco Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. ..