Beck says week's crime spree an aberration

Sure, crime was down in 2011, yet again. But 2012 has really gotten off to a bad start.CJ Lin in the Daily News.

In the span of one week, Los Angeles saw dozens of vehicles torched in a one-man arson spree; seven officer- or deputy-involved shootings; a freeway shutdown for the manhunt of a parolee who shot a parole agent; and at least eight killings.

Still, LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck thinks that one bad week doesn't represent an omen of the year ahead.

"We have bad weeks all the time," Beck said,

Crime down to 1952 levels
Crime in Los Angeles fell for the ninth consecutive year in 2011, marking a drop to historic levels on par with those last seen in 1952, officials said Thursday. CJ Lin in the Daily News,

Violent crime citywide was down 7.3 percent and the number of rapes reported was down almost 20 percent - although the 298 reported murders was one more than in 2010, police said.

Gang crime was also down significantly, marking a 15.2 drop from 2010, but gang-related murders was slightly up at 170 in 2011 from 161 in 2010.