Big jump in homicides underlines Los Banos crime numbers. Overall 2020 crime up by 11%
If there’s one takeaway from Los Bano’s 2020 crime numbers, it’s that homicides were up — really up.
According to the police department’s Part 1 crimes data, which is submitted annually to the California Department of Justice, Los Banos recorded nine homicides in 2020 — a 350% increase from 2019.
That’s also three more homicides than the total number of homicides that were recorded in the city from 2016 to 2019.
When asked about the homicides, Los Banos Police Chief Gary Brizzee said he wasn’t able to identify a specific pattern or behavior that led to the city’s homicides increase.
Brizzee did say majority were gang related — but he pointed out not all were that clear cut. Los Banos also saw an increase in shooting cases as well as shooting investigations in 2020, he said.
Both violent, property crimes up
Part 1 crimes include violent crimes like murder, manslaughter, rape, assault and robbery as well as property crimes such as burglary, larceny and auto theft.
According to the departments figures, reports of overall Part 1 crimes in the city increased 11.55% by the end of 2020 compared to the previous calendar year. Violent crime increased by 53.52% while property crime increased by 4.84%, according to the data.
Aggravated assaults increased by 73.91% and rape increased by 16.67% compared to 2019. Robbery crimes decreased by 2.78% compared to the previous year.
Burglary saw an increased of 22.27% while larceny decreased by 3.54% according to the the data. The city also saw an increase of 6.67% in vehicle theft.
Brizzee also said his department has seen people cited for crimes they would normally be held in custody for.
He went on to say that he didn’t see a connection between the current COVID-19 pandemic and the increased number of homicides and crimes.
“I don’t see, based on what I’ve read, that there’s a tangible connection between the pandemic and any of these crimes,” Brizzee said.
According to the Los Banos Police Department’s Year in Review 2020 report, the city was awarded a Community Development Block grant for Code Enforcement Services. This grant will provide the department with an additional Code Enforcement Officer for the next three years, according to the report.
The department also staffed a dedicated gang unit in September to address gang-related crime throughout the city, according to the report.
Despite the city’s increase in homicides during 2020, Brizzee, who was raised in Los Banos and has raised his children there, said he feels the city is safe.