Crime continues to drop

Thanks to drops in violent and property crimes in the first half of 2011, the crime rate in Los Angeles is on track to be even lower than last year's, when overall crime hit a four-decade low, officials announced Tuesday. C.J. Lin in the Daily News.

Murders are down 8 percent from 160 reported in the first half of last year compared to the 147 murders in the same period this year. The statistic is an indication that the city can close out the year with fewer than 300 murders for the second time in a row, said LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck.

"We are on target again this year," Beck said. "That's a number I never thought I'd see as a Los Angeles police officer. It's an amazing, amazing feat for the city of Los Angeles."