In recent years, violent crimes, especially the prevalent phenomenon of gang “zero-cost shopping,” have been a cause for concern for many residents in Los Angeles. However, starting from last year, such crimes have significantly decreased. This positive change can be attributed to the efforts of the new local prosecutor who has revised the lenient criminal policies of the previous prosecutor and has taken a hardline approach towards prosecuting repeat offenders, along with the commendable efforts of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is the largest county sheriff’s department in the United States. The current sheriff, Robert G. Luna, shared the department’s efforts to combat crime at a “Public Safety Forum” held on Tuesday evening in the city of Diamond Bar, where many Chinese residents reside.
Sheriff Luna mentioned that when he took office at the end of 2022, the area was known for high rates of violent and property crimes within California, which he found unacceptable. He initiated the reorganization of some commanders, required each substation to develop crime response strategies, set up accountability systems, and established closer partnerships with the community and businesses. These measures have been effective, resulting in a decrease of over 18% in violent and property crime rates by 2025.
He expressed gratitude towards all the officers of the Sheriff’s Department for their contributions to community safety. Despite the progress, incidents like break-ins and vehicle thefts still occur, causing harm to many businesses and residents, for which Sheriff Luna expressed regret.
Sheriff Luna highlighted the excellent relationship he has with Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. He emphasized the positive change brought about by Hochman, who succeeded George Gascón in 2024 and ended the previous administration’s lenient policies towards petty theft crimes and habitual offenders.
Over the past few years, Los Angeles County has seen a significant decrease in violent crime rates, with a roughly 30% reduction in homicides compared to the same period last year.
Sheriff Luna mentioned that when he first took office, only a few specialized departments within the county sheriff’s office could use drones for specific operations. He initiated a pilot program using drones for firefighting in forests, which was later expanded for crime prevention purposes.
The use of drones by law enforcement has become indispensable. Sheriff Luna explained that local theft gangs have started using drones to scout robbery targets, prompting the need for proactive measures against these criminals.
Currently, the Sheriff’s Department is updating equipment, enhancing surveillance cameras, drones, automatic license plate recognition systems, and phasing out the computer-aided dispatch system supporting the 911 emergency system since the mid-1970s. Sheriff Luna stated that having a new alarm system during a wildfire in January 2025 would have made a significant difference.
In addition, the Sheriff’s Department has been increasing the number of officers by recruiting and training hundreds of new police officers. The weekly recruitment numbers have increased by over 50% compared to previous years.
In February 2027, Los Angeles will host the Super Bowl, and in 2028, the city will host the Olympics. Ensuring the safety of these events will be a significant test for law enforcement.
Sheriff Luna expressed confidence in their capability to maintain security during these events. He cited the absence of security incidents in Los Angeles during the recent World Cup matches as a testament to the tremendous efforts put in by law enforcement.
Compared to the World Cup, the 2028 Olympics will be of greater scale and intensity and will last longer. Sheriff Luna mentioned that the Sheriff’s Department conducted a successful security rehearsal for the Olympics leveraging the experience gained during the World Cup.
The Public Safety Forum was hosted in Diamond Bar by City Councilman Kelvin Tang. Attendees included Priscilla Musso, the Special Projects Director for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Steven Tousey, Captain of the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station, Glenn I. Emery, Captain of the Industry Sheriff’s Station, Theresa Lee, a member of the Walnut Valley Water District Board, and representatives from the “Everyone is Responsible for Community Safety” Foundation (TACF).