Overall Crime Rate in Thousand Oaks Up 8% in 2016 Compared to 2015

Excerpt from Ventura County Sheriff's Office 2016 Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) for Part 1 Crimes, 2014-2016 January-December Comparison (released February 2017)

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office has released its 2016 Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) crime statistics for Part 1 Crimes in 2016 compared to prior years. Part 1 Crimes include violent crimes of homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assaulted and property crimes consisting of burglary, theft and arson.

The data was provided by the Sheriff's Office for contract cities of Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Moorpark, Fillmore and Ojai, as well as unincorporated areas of the county.

The good news is that the overall number of reported crimes in all jurisdictions was down 1% in 2016 as compared to 2015, although the violent crime rate increased by 1% (representing six crimes), offset by a 1% drop in overall property crimes.

However, the news for Thousand Oaks was not as positive in 2016 compared to 2015; the overall crime rate was up 8%, violent crimes increased by 21% (from 136 crimes in 2015 to 164 in 2016) and property crimes increased by 7%. 

Let's take a look at what drove the 21% increase in violent crime. About a third of the increase was a result of a 43% increase in robberies in 2016, from 23 in 2015 to 33 in 2016. Also, while the number of assaults using firearms and knives dropped by 50%, other assaults, including the use of "Hands/Fist/Feet" and "Other" (whatever that might be) increased by 36% in 2016. There were no homicides reported in 2016 or 2015.

Reported property crimes increased by 7%, including a 20% increase in residential burglaries, 17% increase in grand thefts (generally thefts with a value of over $950) and 14% increase in other burglaries.

While the residential burglary rate did increase in 2016 vs 2015, it is still dramatically lower - 34% - than it was in 2014.

Let's look back a bit farther, to 2010. That year, there were 139 reported violent crimes and 2,036 reported property crimes in Thousand Oaks, for a total of 2,175 total reported crimes at a population of 124,000. That equates to 17.53 crimes per 1,000 residents. In 2016, there were 14.05 total reported Part I crimes per 1,000 residents. That is quite an improvement.

Getting back to 2016, the City of Moorpark crime rate among those served by the Ventura County Sheriff, at 9.26 Part I crimes per 1,000 residents. down from 10.31 in 2015.

More information at local.nixle.com/alert/5857520.

Ventura County Comprehensive Smoke-Free Ordinance Passed in January 2017

At its January 10, 2017 meeting, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors passed the Ventura County Comprehensive Smoke-Free Ordinance

The ordinance prohibits smoking in the unincorporated areas of the county and at nearly all County-owned and operated buildings, campuses and properties.

In addition to the ban at County properties, the ordinance prohibits smoking in dining areas, entryways, recreation areas (except golf courses), service areas, public events and outdoor worksites.

The definition of smoking includes tobacco products, e-cigarettes and marijuana.

The Board passed the item on a 4-1 vote with Supervisor Parks casting the dissenting vote. The reason she did not vote for the ordinance is for two reasons. The ordinance allows for an exception on golf courses; and the ordinance negatively impacts psychiatric patients addicted to nicotine that are confined to a inpatient psychiatric unit.

The ordinance will become operative 180 days after its effective date.

I always am amused by the specific signage requirements for ordinances.

Section 6711 of the Ordinance specifies the posting of signs by those that have control of an area in which smoking or use of tobacco products is prohibited. The sign should indicate "No Smoking and No Vaping" or "Smoke-Free" at each entry point to the area and at least one other conspicuous sign within the area. 

"The signs will have letters of no less than one inch in height and shall include the international "No Smoking and No Vaping" symbol (consisting of a pictorial representation of a burning cigarette, marijuana leaf and e-cigarette enclosed in a red circle with a red bar across it."

The penalties for violations of this ordinance are as follows: Infraction for first offense; $50 fine for second offense within one year; $100 for third violation within one year; $200 for fourth or subsequent violation within one year. In other words, you are given one free violation per year.

Ordinance at THIS LINK.

New Cell Phone Law Effective January 1, 2017 Requires Mounting of Phone For Car Use

The Camarillo Police Department’s Traffic Bureau reminds motorists that a new cell phone law takes effect on January 1, 2017. On the 1st, the existing cell phone law, California Vehicle Code 23123.5, is being repealed and a new cell phone law signed by Governor Brown in September 2016 (Assembly Bill 1785) is being put in its place.

California Vehicle Code 23123.5. now states:
(a) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while holding and operating a handheld wireless telephone or an electronic wireless communications device unless the wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device is specifically designed and configured to allow voice-operated and hands-free operation, and it is used in that manner while driving.

(b) This section shall not apply to manufacturer-installed systems that are embedded in the vehicle.

(c) A handheld wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device may be operated in a manner requiring the use of the driver’s hand while the driver is operating the vehicle only if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The handheld wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device is mounted on a vehicle’s windshield in the same manner a portable Global Positioning System (GPS) is mounted pursuant to paragraph (12) of subdivision (b) of Section 26708 or is mounted on or affixed to a vehicle’s dashboard or center console in a manner that does not hinder the driver’s view of the road.

(2) The driver’s hand is used to activate or deactivate a feature or function of the handheld wireless telephone or wireless communications device with the motion of a single swipe or tap of the driver’s finger.

This new cell phone law means if drivers intend to use their cellphones while operating a motor vehicle, drivers must have their cell phones mounted to the dashboard, center console, or windshield and can only use a “feature” on the phone with a single swipe or tap of the driver’s finger.

A violation of this law is an infraction. The base fine for the first offense is $20 and $50 for each subsequent offense.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “The percentage of drivers text-messaging or visibly manipulating handheld devices increased from 1.7 percent in 2013 to 2.2 percent in 2015. Since 2007, young drivers (age 16 to 24) have been observed manipulating electronic devices at higher rates than older drivers. Data shows the average time your eyes are off the road while texting is five seconds. When traveling at 55mph, that's enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded.”

California Statewide Single-Use Carryout Bag Ban is Now in Place

On November 8, 2016, California voters approved Proposition 67, the statewide Single-Use Carryout Bag Ban.

As a result, the new law is in effect and most grocery stores, retail stores with a pharmacy, convenience stores, food marts, and liquor stores are no longer able to provide single-use plastic carry-out bags to customers.

Instead, these stores may provide a reusable grocery bag or recycled paper bag to a customer at the point of sale at a charge of at least 10 cents.

Many cities and counties have bag ordinances in place. Some of these jurisdictions’ ordinances will not be subject to this new law, depending on whether they meet certain preemption requirements.

• The City of Calabasas has had a single-use bag ban in place since July 1, 2011. www.cityofcalabasas.com/bags.html
• The City of Ojai has had a single-use bag ban in place since July 1, 2012. ojaicity.org/single-use-carryout-bag-ordinance
• Plastic single-use bags have been banned in Malibu since 2008 www.malibucity.org/index.aspx?nid=295

The following types of stores are impacted by the bag ban:

Grocery Stores: Full-line, self-service retail stores with gross annual sales of at least $2 million that sell a line of dry groceries, canned goods, or nonfood items and some perishable items.

Large Retail Stores with a Pharmacy: Stores that have at least 10,000 square feet of retail space and a pharmacy and that generate sales or use tax.

Convenience Stores, Food Marts, or Liquor Stores: Stores engaged in the retail sale of a limited line of goods, generally including milk, bread, soda, and snack foods, and that hold a Type 20 or Type 21 license issued by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Volunteer Stores: Retail establishments not included in this list that voluntarily agree to comply with the requirements of the statute.

Are there single-use bags NOT covered by the new law?
Yes. Bags used by pharmacies for prescriptions; bags used to protect a purchased item from damage or contamination, such as bags used for fruits and vegetables; and bags used to contain unwrapped food items like bulk foods are some examples of single-use bags not covered by the new law. In addition, bags without handles that are designed to be placed over articles of clothing on a hanger are not covered under the new law.

More details at www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Plastics/CarryOutBags/default.htm.

California Sales and Use Tax Rates Drop by .25 Percent on January 1, 2017

A sliver of good news on the tax front. Voters approved Proposition 30, The Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act of 2012, in the November 6, 2012 statewide election. The measure was approved by a margin of 56% to 45%.

Proposition 30 mandated an increase in the statewide sales tax rate from 7.25% to 7.5% effective 1/1/13 through 12/31/16. along with a 7 year increase in marginal income tax rates for certain filers with incomes over $250,000.

Since we are quickly approaching the end of 2016, we have a .25% reduction in sales and use tax rates to look forward to in the new year.

This means that sales taxes in most of Ventura County, including Thousand Oaks, will drop from 7.5% to 7.25%, Rates in Oxnard and Port Hueneme will drop from 8% to 7.75%. Rates in Los Angeles County, including neighbors Agoura Hills and Westlake Village, will drop from 9% to 8.75%.

Thousand Oaks Violent Crime Rate Ranks in Top 12 Lowest Among Large Cities in 2015

In a separate post, we noted that the cities of Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley ranked 4th and 5th in terms of lowest overall crime rates in the United States and 1st and 2nd in California based on 2015 FBI data. Kudos!

Here, based on the same Uniform Crime Reporting data for 2015 released by the FBI in September, we will take a closer look at large cities (defined as 100,000+ residents) with the lowest and highest violent crime rates in he country.

Violent crimes consist of murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault whereas property crimes are categorized as non-violent reported instances of burglaries, thefts (including cars) and arson.

Top 25 lowest overall violent crime rates per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015; cities with population of 100,000 or more (Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Data)

As you can see above, while the City of Thousand Oaks has the 12th lowest violent crime rate among large cities of 1.05 incidents per 1,000 residents, the City's property crime rate is lower than most on this list. Simi Valley's rate of 1.36 incidents per 1,000 ranks it 26th out of close to 300 large cities.

The city of Cary, North Carolina, ranked as lowest on this list with .5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in 2015, followed closely by another local perennially safe city, Irvine. Glendale ranks a very respectable 7th on this list.

Top 25 highest overall violent crime rates per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015; cities with population of 100,000 or more (Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Data)

No Ventura County area cities came anywhere close to the top 25 highest violent crime rate large cities in the U.S. This list was topped by the cities of St. Louis, Detroit, Birmingham, Memphis and Milwaukee, with violent crime rates ranging from 16 to 18 incidents per 1,000 residents in 2015.

Our neighbor, the City of Los Angeles, with its population of nearly 4 million, ranked 92nd on the list with 6.35 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

Was a crime committed in your neighborhood? Check the Ventura County Sheriff's Department online crime maps.

Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley Had the 4th and 5th Lowest Crime Rates Among Large Cities in 2015

In late September, the FBI released its annual Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data for 2015. "Crime in the United States, 2015" compiles crime data from law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. The data includes violent crimes, consisting of murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault, and property crimes such as burglaries and thefts.

The overall U.S. violent crime rate grew 3.1% in 2015 as compared to 2014, with 3.73 incidents per 1,000 inhabitants. Overall property crimes declined 3.4%, at 24.87 incidents per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015.

Three years ago, the crime rates were 3.87 (violent crimes) and 28.59 (property crimes), indicating the rates have declined overall over the last three years.

We took a look at the data for approximately 300 cities in the U.S. with populations of 100,000 or more. The cities of Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley ranked 4th and 5th in the U.S. and 1st and 2nd in California for the lowest overall crime rates among large cities in 2015. Congratulations! The top 10 are shown in the table below:

Top 10 lowest overall crime rates per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015; cities with population of 100,000 or more (Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Data)

The cities of Oxnard and Ventura landed at 143 and 153 when ranked by lowest total crime rates.

Taking a look at solely violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, assault), the list looks a bit different. Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley drop to 12th and 26th, respectively and other California cities - Irvine, Murrieta, Glendale and Temecula moved into the top 10.

Top 10 lowest violent crime rates per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015; cities with population of 100,000 or more (Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Data)

Let's take a look at other Ventura County cities of all sizes to see where they stand. Keep in mind that this does not include unincorporated communities of Ventura County like Oak Park, Casa Conejo, Lake Sherwood and others.

Overall crime rates per 1,000 inhabitants in Ventura County cities in 2015 (Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Data) (excludes unincorporated communities)

The cities of Ojai and Moorpark held the lowest overall crime rates among Ventura County cities in 2015.

Overall, in 2015 Ventura County residents had an average of 22.84 total crimes for every 1,000 residents, including 2.56 violent crimes (31% below the national average) and 20.28 property crimes (18% below the national average).

As a comparison, the City of Los Angeles, with nearly 4 million residents, had an overall crime rate of 29.94 total crimes per 1,000 residents, including 6.3 violent crimes. The highest overall crime rates among large cities in 2015 were: Salt Lake City, UT (101.86 crimes per 1,000 inhabitants), Springfield, MO (91.51), St. Louis, MO (81.33), Birmingham, AL (81.05) and Spokane, WA (80.31).

Other nearby cities' 2015 crime rates in the UCR data includes Calabasas (11.71 crimes per 1,000 residents), Agoura Hills (15.5) and Westlake Village (the L.A. County side, with 8,522 residents) with 23.59.

Overall, there are nearly 9,400 cities measured in the UCR. Of these, 214 cities had a total of zero reported crimes in 2015. The average population of these 214 cities was 870.

* The FBI cautions comparative use of this data for drawing conclusions by making direct comparisons between cities. Comparisons lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents. Keep this in mind when reviewing this data, which is summed up here for informational purposes only.