By Los Angeles County Politics (LACP)
Mayor Karen Bass yesterday joined City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Tim McOsker, along with community safety leaders, to announce a drop in homicides across Los Angeles.
According to Los Angeles Police Department’s year-end statistics, the City saw a 19% drop in homicides, with 230 reported homicides in 2025 compared to 284 in 2024. This includes a 4% decrease in gang-related homicides, although homeless-related homicides increased by 20%.
“The work of our prevention and intervention partners in GRYD [Gang Reduction and Youth Development] zones is a cornerstone of our comprehensive approach to public safety, and it’s delivering real results: a nearly 27% drop in all homicides within GRYD zones in 2025,” said Bass. “With LA experiencing the lowest homicides on record in nearly 60 years, the work of the City’s intervention workers and peacekeepers are changing lives, transforming communities, and helping prevent crime from occurring.”
Harris-Dawson said the evidence is clear—when the city approaches public safety through a community-driven lens, lives can be saved.
“Thank you to the leadership of Mayor Karen Bass and each prevention worker and peacemaker who has played a key role in making our neighborhoods safer,” the lawmaker said.
“This significant drop in homicides proves what’s possible when the City invests in community engagement, youth development, and preventing harm before it happens instead of only reacting after tragedy strikes,” said Hernandez. “In CD1, we’ve embraced that model through our Peace Ambassadors and have seen firsthand the tangible impact of this community-led safety initiative. As the Trump Administration threatens cuts to these critical violence intervention programs, Los Angeles will continue to show the country that care-first approaches save lives.”
McOsker said from Watts to the waterfront, across the One-Five communities in his district, the impact of community violence intervention is felt every day.
“This work is not only about responding in moments of crisis, but about preventing harm before it happens, making sure kids can walk to school, families can gather in parks, and neighborhoods can come together safely. That is what real community safety looks like. On behalf of residents across my community, thank you to the peacemakers and intervention workers who show up every day to keep our neighborhoods safe,” said McOsker.
Since taking office, gang-related homicides in these same neighborhoods have dropped by nearly 50%. Bass acknowledged the work of community safety leaders in her State of the City speech, noting their comprehensive efforts to prevent crime from occurring by addressing the root causes of violence.
Bass’ Office of Community Safety and local partners have prioritized essential social services, community-based programming, and reentry services in gang-impacted communities, giving justice-impacted Angelenos a second chance at success.
Under Bass, Los Angeles is taking a new approach to public safety:
- Reducing Crime with the Office of Community Safety: Bass established the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety to prevent crime through community-led approaches to increase safety and wellbeing, and community safety leaders continue to play a critical role in driving down gang-related crime, keeping young people engaged, and preventing crime from occurring in the first place. In 2025, the Office served thousands of Gang Reduction and Youth Development participants through prevention and intervention.
- Creating Safe Community Spaces: Last summer, the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety coordinated the Summer Night Lights program through partnerships with City departments, Council District Offices, and community-based organizations serving more than 110,000 Angelenos across 42 parks and recreation centers. The Office also held events such as Fall Friday Nights and the Justice Fair, serving thousands of Angelenos and providing critical sports activations and reentry services.
