The Santa Clarita City Council, together with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, are pleased to announce a 14.6 percent decrease in overall Part I crimes during 2008, in comparison to the same period in 2007.

This includes all major crime categories, such as homicides, forcible rapes, robberies, felonious assaults, burglaries, larceny, grand theft auto and arson.

In the City of Santa Clarita, burglaries were down more than 16% and thefts were down nearly 22 percent in 2008.

The City's funding of the Sheriff's COBRA team, coupled with the work of the Anti-Gang Task force, which involves multiple city and sheriff disciplines working together to reduce gang violence, has been very effective and productive in 2008.

Also, the City funds a dedicated, full-time Probation Officer.