Huntington Beach continues reign as a safe city

Angelique Flores and Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Surf City kept its crown this year as one of the

safest cities in the nation and No. 1 in Orange County.

Crime statistics released Monday by the Federal Bureau of

Investigation covering a six-month period between January and June show

Huntington Beach ranked sixth out of 205 U.S. cities with populations

more than 100,000.

“We certainly would like to take all the credit,” said Sgt. Janet

Perez, spokeswoman for the Huntington Beach Police Department. “But the

reality is the city is enjoying a really good economy right now and

partnerships between the community, city and police are strong.”

Nuisance task force and community policing programs have helped to

make the city safe, she added.

According to the FBI report, the city logged 2,256 serious incidents

this year, which included violent and property crimes.

Incidents of rape, homicide, robbery and assault dropped about 5.7%

compared to 1999 statistics.

No homicides occurred over the 2000 reporting period, although there

were 127 incidents of assault, one more than last year.

Property crimes, like arson, motorcycle theft, larceny and burglary

decreased by 8.3%. The number of arson incidents, however, jumped from 16

in 1999 to 23 this year, a difference of about 43%.

Russell Reinhart, president of the Huntington Beach Police Officers’

Assn. said the numbers are a credit to the city, where the average ratio

of officers to residents is low, about 1.15 for every 1,000 citizens. The

state average is 1.8, and the national average is more than two.

That accomplishment, Reinhart added, should be taken into

consideration as city and police union officials continue salary

negotiations.

Last year’s crime figures took a deep plummet. The number of incidents

committed in the city decreased from 3,157 in 1998 to 2,481 in 1999, a

21.4% decrease, according to the 1999 report.

Violent crimes -- which include homicide, rape, robbery and assault --

dropped 30.2%. Property crimes, including burglary and car theft, went

down 28% in 1999.

Last year’s California Crime Index showed a 28.5% drop in the city,

compared to a statewide decrease of 15.3%. These numbers don’t account

for larceny and arson.

The biggest plunge in 1999 was in aggravated assaults. The city

reported 126, a 33% drop from 1998’s tally of 188.

Though the overall totals in 1999 dropped, increases were seen in

homicide and arson. One homicide occurred in 1999, where 1998 saw none.

Arson reports shot up from five incidents in 1998 to 16 last year.