The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reported a significant slowdown in the city’s murder rate increase for 2024. As of April 27, murders in LA were only 4.2% higher than the same period in 2023, a sharp decline from the 30% increase seen earlier this year.

Chief Dominic Choi highlighted that the surge in street violence, which contributed to the spike in murders, began to decrease steadily in mid-March. This decline is a positive sign for the city, despite ongoing challenges in crime data reporting.

The LAPD attributed the lack of detailed crime data, including information on shootings, assaults, and thefts, to updates being made to their records management system. The department assured the public that full access to comprehensive crime data will be restored by the fourth quarter of 2024.

The new records management system will align with the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), promising improved data transparency and accessibility. Until then, the LAPD remains committed to publishing as much information as possible.

The absence of detailed crime statistics has temporarily hampered independent analyses, such as those conducted by NBC4’s I-Team. However, the LAPD’s move towards a more robust and transparent system is expected to enhance public access to crime trends and data in the near future.