"Our numbers were so good before, it's hard to beat," she said.
The downtown crackdown has also been contending with a change in personnel. Andrew Smith, the popular leader of LAPD's Central Division, who was widely praised by Bratton and downtown leaders for the early success of the initiative, was promoted from captain to commander last year and recently left downtown altogether to go to LAPD's South Bureau.
The decline in arrest numbers has not reduced criticism of the LAPD by some advocates for the homeless, who have argued that Safer Cities has resulted in more harassment of homeless people.
They say the city needs to spend less on policing and more on social services and housing to help transients get out of skid row.
Alice Callaghan, of Las Familias del Pueblo, said she has seen no drop off in police presence, which she described as "a pretty ruthless assault throughout this community on poor people because they are unsightly. The city is not prepared to spend the money on real solutions."
LAPD officials said they are in skid row to stay.
Wakefield said she has received assurances from Bratton that the 50 extra officers assigned to her division would remain in place for the indefinite future.
Were they to leave now, she said, things would "go back to the way they were. And at this point, it is still vulnerable. We have to monitor and make sure people know we are there."
cara.dimassa@latimes.com
richard.winton@latimes.com
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Downtown crime
Property crimes in LAPD's Central Division are up compared to this time last year, while violent crimes are down slightly. Property crimes have risen sharply in the skid row area of downtown.
Violent crimes
*--* -- Skid row -- Central Division -- Year to 1-year Year to 1-year -- date* % change date* % change -- Homicides 0 0% 1 0% Rape 2 0% 12 +33% Robbery 55 +22% 125 +16% Aggravated 61 -14% 112 -19% assaults -- Total 118 0% 250 -2% *--*
Property crimes
*--* -- Skid row -- Central Division -- Year to 1-year Year to 1-year -- date* % change date* % change -- Burglary 25 +317% 97 +102% Grand theft auto 16 -16% 113 -3% Theft from auto 53 +104% 260 +50% Other theft 73 +35% 329 +10% Total 167 +59% 799 +25% *--*
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*Through April 5
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Source: LAPD
