Valley gang crime continues to soar

Gang crime in the San Fernando Valley has jumped almost 15 percent since the start of the year, despite a highly publicized effort by Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to aggressively crack down on street gangs. Rachel Uranga in the Daily News.

Vowing to head off the rising crime rates, released Tuesday by the LAPD, Villaraigosa said the Valley will be among the top priorities for recently appointed gang czar Jeff Carr as he tries to tackle a dangerous, entrenched culture.

"After last year's surge in Valley gang activity, we knew that combating violence from Canoga Park to North Hollywood would remain one of our toughest challenges," Villaraigosa said. "We will get Valley communities the resources they need to implement new innovative and effective intervention programs."