Crime increase feeds debate over cuts to law enforcement budgets

However, the largest increase was in homicides -- up 13.1 percent -- led by spikes in Oakland and Los Angeles. While more than half of the jurisdictions saw fewer murders, overall there were 164 more homicides than over the same period in 2001.

Attorney General Bill Lockyer blamed more gang activity, the poor economy and growth in the state's "crime-prone population" of men between the ages of 18 and 30.

The increase in the number of murders was followed by auto thefts, up 10.8 percent. Burglaries were up 5.1 percent, robberies 4.5 percent and rapes 2.6 percent, while the number of aggravated assaults fell 1.3 percent.

Together, there were 15,626 more property crimes and 929 more violent crimes reported than in the first nine months of 2001.

However, the numbers remain significantly lower than when violent crime peaked 11 years ago, Lockyer said.

Still, he joined other law enforcement officials urging that crime fighting be protected as state lawmakers deal with a budget deficit that Gov. Gray Davis predicts could reach $34.6 billion.

"As policy-makers grapple with lean budgets and shrinking resources, we cannot afford to turn our back on law enforcement as they fight back against this increase in criminal activity," Lockyer said while releasing the figures at the California Police Chiefs' Association annual conference in Oakland.

In his own speech to the chiefs, Davis emphasized the money he funneled to law enforcement during his first four-year term, and promised to safeguard crime-fighting during the budget negotiations.

Davis proposes to eliminate about $4 billion in state payments to cities and counties to compensate for money they lost because of cutbacks in the state's vehicle license fee. The Democratic governor promised to veto a bill from the Democrat-controlled Legislature designed to raise the fee, though current law may trigger an increase regardless.

"I intend to reach a bipartisan solution on this issue, not a partisan, patchwork deal rushed through the process," Davis told the chiefs. "I intend to work with you to ensure that cuts are made without jeopardizing law enforcement in any way."

"It's going to be a difficult year," Davis said. "But that doesn't mean that we're going to reduce our resolve to combat crime and protect the public safety."

However, Los Angeles County Chief Administrative Officer David Janssen warned Tuesday that the loss of vehicle license fees could require the county to lay off 1,100 sheriff's deputies, release 2,900 misdemeanor inmates early, and close a jail.<