Valley homicides down in 2016

Halfway through 2016, law enforcement officers across the Coachella Valley reported homicides are down from this time last year.

There have been 10 homicides in the desert in 2016. By July 2015, there had been 22. It’s a drastic difference for desert cities such as Desert Hot Springs, which had six homicides by July 2015. This year, the city has had only one.

“By having that number down it actually frees up our detectives division to investigate other crimes and not having to focus on the homicides,” said Desert Hot Springs Police Chief Dale Mondary.

Coachella Valley homicides in 2016
Desert Hot Springs – 1
Thermal – 1
Thousand Palms – 1
Whitewater – 1
Coachella – 2
Indio – 2
Cathedral City – 2

Mondary said many cities face staffing and funding issues, but they continue to work to prevent violent crimes.
“There are things we can do. Again, making sure that we’re keeping firearms out of the hands of gang members, out of convicted criminals and stepping up our enforcement in those areas,” Mondary said.

It’s a collaboration of local law enforcement agencies, Mondary said, that helps.

“We’re independent of each other, but we have great working relationships. We help each other out. Our most recent sweep every city in the Coachella Valley sent officers over here to help us,” Mondary said.

Palm Springs had three homicides in all of 2015 and so far this year there have been none.

“We’re one of 10 cities in Riverside County that have seen a decline in violent crime,” said Palm Springs police Sgt. William Hutchinson.

Police across the desert need your help.

“Community involvement with the police department is always the best approach. The more we can collaborate with our neighborhoods, our organizations, the better off we’re going to be.”

Police encourage if you see something suspicious, call them.