Message from the City Manager Ken Striplin 2018 – Lowest Crime Rate on Record!

 The men and women from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station have been hard at work fighting crime and we have the numbers to prove it. Part one crimes – which include homicide, rape, robbery, burglary and arson – went down 20 percent in 2018. This is a significant drop from 2017 and the lowest crime rate on record!
This decrease is due to the proactive efforts, crime suppression operations and all-around dedication of our Sheriff’s Deputies, led by Captain Robert Lewis. A 20 percent decrease is impressive given the recent changes in state initiatives aimed at decreasing the state prison population – such as Assembly Bill 109 and Propositions 47 and 57. These measures are creating a more difficult and dangerous environment in our City and throughout the state because criminals know they will be less likely to serve a full prison sentence. In Santa Clarita we saw a spike in crimes since the reforms were enacted in 2014 and 2016.
In response, our deputies have been impacting crime through special operations, directed patrol tactics, targeted traffic enforcement, specialized deployments, the apprehension of suspects and public education and awareness efforts.
The crime stats we have now for 2018 show robberies are down 26 percent, burglaries are down more than 16 percent, Grand Theft Autos are down 30 percent and assaults are down nearly 25 percent!
The City Council is committed to maintaining this downward trend in crimes. Their continued investment and support for public safety is evident in their backing and funding of the new Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. This state-of-the-art facility, a joint project with Los Angeles County, is expected to be completed by end of 2020. Our City is often hailed as a safe place to live and raise a family, and our public safety officials are doing everything they can to keep it that way.