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Paramount reports 5% drop in Part I crimes in 2024, officials say
Summary
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lakewood Station reported a 5% decrease in Part I crimes in Paramount for 2024 versus 2023, with notable declines in aggravated assaults and robberies; thefts and arsons rose. Captain Dan Holguin presented the annual report to the City Council.
Captain Dan Holguin of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Lakewood Station, told the Paramount City Council on Feb. 11 that overall Part I crimes reported in the city fell 5% in 2024 compared with 2023.
Holguin said the station recorded 1,702 Part I incidents in 2024, down from 1,789 the previous year. "I am pleased to have the opportunity to provide this report," Holguin said as he summarized the department’s Uniform Crime Reporting statistics.
The report showed larger declines in some categories: crimes against persons dropped by about 25% (275 incidents in 2024 versus 368 in 2023), aggravated assaults fell by about 28% (164 victims in 2024 versus 233 in 2023) and robberies declined roughly 10% (100 in 2024 versus 122 in 2023). Holguin said the number of homicides was unchanged (one in both 2023 and 2024), and rapes decreased from 12 to 10.
Holguin cautioned that some categories grew. Reported thefts rose about 19% (673 in 2024 versus 567 in 2023), and arsons doubled from seven in 2023 to 14 in 2024; he said eight of the 14 arsons were vehicle property-damage incidents, and seven involved stolen vehicles being stripped and burned. Auto thefts fell by about 16% (520 in 2024 versus 621 in 2023).
Holguin also discussed service and response metrics. Overall calls for service decreased slightly, from 17,873 in 2023 to 17,659 in 2024, and 911 calls fell about 18% (526 to 431). Average response times for routine calls improved (50.4 to 46.9 minutes), while priority calls rose slightly (11.8 to 12.1 minutes) and emergent calls edged up (3.9 to 4.0 minutes). He said department thresholds are 60 minutes for routine, 20 minutes for priority and 10 minutes for emergency responses.
Holguin credited several enforcement and prevention efforts for the declines, including increased deputy presence, the SAO (Special Assignments Office) team operations, undercover stings at retail hot spots and a department online reporting system. He highlighted a November undercover operation that led to three arrests at a local hardware store and said the department identified six commercial hot spots for robberies and increased patrols and surveillance there.
Holguin also discussed the local effect of California’s Proposition 36 (effective Dec. 18, 2024), which he said allowed felony charges in some theft and drug cases for repeat offenders; Lakewood Station charged 24 people under the new law in the first eight weeks, nine of them in Paramount.
Mayor Delgadillo and council members thanked Holguin for the presentation; no formal action resulted. The report was presented as an informational item to the council and public.
The City Manager and council raised no changes to policy at the meeting; Holguin said the department will continue enforcement and community engagement strategies in 2025.
