EDITORIAL

Crime statistics for 2001 released this week show that life in

Huntington Beach, for the most part, is pretty safe.

During a year when crime rose across the nation, Huntington Beach’s

total crimes actually dropped ever so slightly, down 29 incidents from

the 4,529 in 2000 to last year’s 4,500. That number, as reported in

today’s Independent, set Huntington Beach as the safest city of more than

100,000 people in Orange County and the eighth safest in the state.

Those generalities are the good news. A bit troubling in the 2001

Uniform Crime Statistics -- which the FBI discourages for use as a

“safest city comparison” -- is that the drop in total crimes, which once

again included no murders, was because of large reductions in aggravated

assault, larceny and thefts. But the number of rapes, robberies,

burglaries, auto thefts and arsons all rose.

We know the Police Department is dedicated to keeping those numbers

down and residents and visitors in Huntington Beach as safe as possible.

And we know that crime, inevitably, will rise. It cannot be expected to

decline forever.

But that does not mean we cannot expect our police officers to do the

impossible and keep the number of crimes heading down. We do.

We expect that those sworn to serve and protect Surf City do, as well.

And so we trust that the Huntington Beach Police Department -- the

real experts on fighting crime -- will use this information to determine

how to best keep the city safe.

Pour more effort into projects that are successful. Alter or even do

away with programs that are not working well. And let residents and city

leaders know about the changes so we can all feel a little better when

walking the streets or leaving our homes.