There is nothing more important to me than keeping our neighborhoods safe and secure. It is at the heart of my back-to-basics agenda for Los Angeles — and I’m always working closely with the LAPD, and partners inside and outside of City government, to preserve the peace of mind that Angelenos deserve.

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, Chief Michel Moore, and other leaders joined me at LAPD headquarters this week for our yearly press conference to discuss the state of public safety in our city — and the news is good. Just as it was in 2018, crime was down last year in every major category:

• Homicide down 2.7% — the second-lowest rate since 1966, and a near 77% drop since 1992
• Victims shot down 6% — the lowest number in 21 years
• Property crime down 7.4%
• Total gang crime down 6.3% compared to 2018 — and down 14.4% over two years

We will always look to improve where we must, but the women and men of the LAPD are doing excellent work for the people of Los Angeles — strengthening our commitment to relationship-based policing, and bringing progress that Angelenos can feel in their communities.

One of those Angelenos, South Park resident Marilyn Green, shared her experiences with a hallmark of our approach: the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) — which puts officers on a 5-year assignment in one place, so they can help make neighborhoods safer by creating meaningful relationships with the people they serve.

South Park is home to the newest of our eight CSPs, but Marilyn was skeptical when it began last year. She didn’t love the idea of a stronger police presence — but over time, she got to know the officers. She appreciated how they spent time with kids in the neighborhood, and felt more confident letting her 14-year-old twin sons and 5-year-old grandson play in the basketball court and park.

Then last fall, when Marilyn’s brother died of a heart attack, those officers showed up at her house. They brought roses. 

“They came with love and respect,” said Marilyn, “and that meant the world to me. They’re my police.” 

We’ll soon be starting a new CSP in San Fernando Gardens — and we won’t stop working until everyone in our city feels the way Marilyn does. 

These are your police — we have high expectations of our officers, and all of us benefit when the LAPD works to protect and serve while building trust in a spirit of service, sacrifice, and a commitment to a better quality of life for every Angeleno.

A City of Second Chances

Another important way that we’re keeping our city safe is making sure that people who have served time can get help finding work and a shot at a second chance. Los Angeles is a place where everybody belongs — and we’re working to create opportunities for anyone to work hard, support themselves and their families, and give back to our communities.

Because we know that people with a criminal record are more likely to end up back behind bars if they can’t find steady employment and housing. We also know that formerly incarcerated people are ten times more likely to become homeless.

This week, I announced a $10 million grant from the State of California to extend our jobs program for formerly incarcerated Angelenos — to build on the success of the New Roads to Second Chances program, which we launched in 2016.

New Roads offers participants transitional employment with Caltrans, picking up trash and cleaning up our roads and freeways. Since it started, New Roads teams have collected nearly 607,000 bags of trash as part of their mission to help clean and beautify our public passages.

Beyond joining cleanup crews, participants work with case managers at Chrysalis to help them develop their resumes, participate in job-readiness classes, complete practice interviews, and access everything from computers and professional attire to scholarship funds and transportation assistance. Participants develop skills that enable them to transition to full-time employment and long-term self-sufficiency.

The program has already served 1,200 people on probation or parole, helping them get the assistance they need to get back on their feet and transition to full-time employment. And we’re excited for all the people we’ll be able to help with this grant.

It’s helped people like Jose start a new chapter. He struggled with substance abuse, made some mistakes along the way, and served time in prison. But now, he’s a proud graduate of the New Roads program and working for a pest control company. Through our program, Chrysalis helped him with transitional employment on a Caltrans crew — collecting a steady paycheck while he received help getting his driver’s license, certification for his new line of work, and more.

New Roads is a testament to the human spirit — an example of how we can build people up in a way that touches our entire community.

We’ll keep working to make sure that everyone in our city lives in a safe neighborhood and has every chance to succeed.

Thanks for reading.


Eric Garcetti
Your Mayor