Violent Crime Rate Down in City
Violent crimes, year to date, are down for the third year in a row within Santa Barbara city limits, as are property crimes. “The trend is our friend right now,” Assistant Police Chief Frank Mannix told the City Council this week. Aggravated assaults are up, but only — he said — at a rate of two more a month. City police report their efforts to root out “young urban travelers” from downtown by adopting a “maximum enforcement posture” paid dividends. City cops patrolled State Street more aggressively and placed dividers on city park benches. In addition, the police targeted skateboarding, an activity illegal on public streets and on sidewalks within the downtown corridor bordered by Chapala, Sola, Santa Barbara, and Cabrillo streets. Thus far, 23 citations have been issued.
