- ADVERTISEMENT -
But by the beginning of this year, the department had to pivot again, adding to their priorities a familiar list of targets: guns, gangs and violent crime.
Records show the LBPD poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into upping its presence on the streets, something the department says has helped drive down gun violence even though the number of shootings over the first three months of 2021 was still up 145% compared to the previous year.
Police say they’re working with other city departments to craft a long-term violence-prevention plan, something that will be the subject of a City Council meeting Tuesday night. But in the meantime, “There’s also an immediate need to address gun violence that’s occurring in our neighborhoods,” LBPD Assistant Chief Wally Hebeish said.