Why Murders Are Up in L.A.

In recent months, there has been an upswing of murders in Los Angeles. Violent crimes have increased by 7.5% in the city during the first six months this year compared with the same period last year. There is a 30% increase in homicides over last year. There have been 250 murders in the first half of the year, compared to 192 deaths in the same period last year. Police say that more than 40% of the homicides this year are gang-related. Politicians and community activists have convened meetings to address this issue.

A leader of a local youth group and a homicide detective shared their views with MARY REESE BOYKIN.

V.G. GUINSES

Executive director of SEY YES (Save Every Youngster Youth Enterprise Society), Los Angeles

The community needs to stop pointing at Rampart--”Ramparts” happen all over the nation--and start dealing with the children and their needs. While everyone is busy pointing fingers, the murder rate keeps escalating. We are not dealing with reality. Parents need to set the rules in their homes and make sure that their children are doing what they are supposed to be doing.

The city and county should look at gang-intervention organizations within the community that have a track record of being effective and put money into those programs. It’s not about who can write the best proposal; it’s about who can get the job done. Presently, there are too many organizations fighting over too few dollars.

There are many things that can be done. We can provide jobs for young people. This summer, there are so many young people who want to make an earnest living but who cannot find a job.

We must reach young people before the gangs do, starting in preschool with teaching them street smarts about avoiding drugs and gangs in preschool. We can have high school students tutor elementary students so that those who face academic problems at a young age won’t feel discouraged and become attracted to the wrong group of kids.

Leaders have to set the example, though. We can’t talk about bringing rival gangs together while our discussions lead to fights among ourselves.

DON RICHARDS

Supervising detective, Southwest Division homicide squad, LAPD

Surprisingly, the Southwest Division until April 11 had only three homicides.

Since April 11, it seems like it went crazy, and we’ve had 21 murders, including those of Albert and Edna Payton and Lori Gonzalez, the granddaughter of Chief Bernard C. Parks. Most of these murders are considered gang-related or of unknown motives at this point; that is, we just don’t have enough information to properly label them as gang murders or disputes or drug-related. Almost all of them have a suspect description, and several have been cleared by arrest.

The problem is that around April, the anti-gang CRASH unit was disbanded. Those officers were put back in patrol cars. We have started a new gang unit, but at this division we are still not fully staffed.

Gang members are aware that the LAPD is having a major problem right now with the investigation involving the Rampart scandal. Gang members are getting bolder. If they are Blood gang members, they are bold enough to wear red. If they are Crips, they have stepped up wearing blue. It’s too bad that this thing happened because it certainly has hindered the ability of the LAPD to do its job.

But Los Angeles isn’t the only city with an increase in homicides. It’s a national problem. The main problem that I see is drugs. We have to do something about the influx of drugs into this country. One reason a lot of murders occur is that they are fighting for drug territory. They will see gangs that are perhaps more successful dealing drugs than they are, and they will try to take that rival gang’s territory so that they can increase their profits.

In late 1989, the South Bureau homicide division was organized, and all the homicide detectives who worked Southwest, 77th, Southeast, and Harbor divisions were combined into one unit. In 1999, we had a 70% clearance rate. Several times we cleared cases because we were able to put a lot of detectives on a case at the very beginning when it really counts. The decision to disband the South Bureau homicide unit was Chief Parks’, and I respectfully disagree with him. To completely disband it was a mistake, and we are paying for it right now.

As a homicide detective, one discouraging thing is that there are people out there who know who committed a murder but won’t come forward.

If witnesses are intimidated or threatened, we will attempt to arrest and prosecute those doing the intimidation.