HOLLYWOOD, FT. LAUDERDALE CRIME DIP MIRRORS U.S. TREND

Crime dipped in Broward's two largest cities in the first half of 1998,
mirroring the nation's 5 percent drop that continues a six-year trend, the
FBI reported Sunday.

Preliminary FBI figures show national violent crimes were down 7 percent,
with aggravated assault and rape each down 5 percent, compared with the
first six months of 1997.

Statistics for January through June provided to the FBI by state and local
law enforcement officials show crime in Fort Lauderdale dropped 13 percent
overall, and overall crime in Hollywood declined 4 percent.

But Fort Lauderdale police spokesman Detective Michael Reed said the
decrease is closer to 6.5 percent because several hundred crimes were
recently reclassified to better fit the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement's crime definitions.

Fort Lauderdale showed decreases in seven of the eight areas monitored:
murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft
and motor vehicle theft. Only the number of arsons increased, from 33 to 37.

Motor vehicle thefts in Fort Lauderdale showed a 23 percent decrease in the
first six months of 1998, and year-to-date numbers show a total decrease of
33 percent, Reed said.

"But the drop is slowing, and we're concerned and need to continue to be
vigilant," said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle. "In watching the
statistics for the second six months of this year, it's down very little,
so we must redouble our community policing efforts."

Hollywood posted single-digit decreases in most categories, except in
robbery (increasing to 257 cases from 249 in 1997), aggravated assault (293
cases compared with 258 in 1997) and arson (more than doubling to 11 from 5
last year), records show.

Mayor Mara Giulianti says the steady drop is due to a combination of
crime-fighting techniques: the use of community-oriented policing and
preventive police work with Hollywood's youth.

"You've got to have a department that does both: arrests and working with
young people through PAL and school resource officers," Giulianti said.
"That's the approach that really pays by officers becoming closer to the
community they serve."

Giulianti said she was heartened by the drop in violent crimes in
Hollywood, noting that the city relies heavily on tourism, and a low crime
rate is key.

The half-year report comes weeks after the FBI's final 1997 figures, which
showed the national murder rate reaching its lowest point in 30 years.

Law enforcement and government officials say the decline is partly due to
the aging of the baby boom generation and police efforts to get guns away
from teens, especially in big cities.

Other reasons include increased police-community cooperation; stiffer
sentences, particularly for violent criminals; prevention programs for kids
with little supervision; the improved national economy; and reductions in
crack cocaine use and the warfare between gangs that peddle it.

By population, overall crime declined in cities of all sizes, with the
largest decline of 8 percent in cities of 50,000 to 99,999. Suburban
counties saw 6 percent declines overall.

Herald staff writer Lycia Naff may be reached by e-mail at lnaff@herald.com

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski