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5:45 pm
June 20, 2007
We have been getting an increasing number of emails from Venice Residents regarding crime. Police officers have told us that crime is down from a year ago, yet it doesn't "feel" like it is.
Yesterday a person was killed after the Street Festival near the Other Room. Last week a guy was stabbed and ran to the Venice Free Clinic on Rose for help. Gas is being stolen out of tanks, purses from cars (lock the door next time Larna), rapes in limos and drug dealers are taking over the streets in certain sections of the city. How safe is our home?
5:50 pm
September 29, 2008
Been in Venice 18 years, live a block off of the boardwalk. Never been safer – seriously. Remember the shootout at the B of A by Westminster Circle? Those “wild west”gang days ware long gone – we still have problems, but not to the alarmist extent that you imply.
5:55 pm
June 20, 2007
I'm not being alarmist .. but we have been getting a ton of emails sent to us here at YoVenice about crime in the last few months. Yea, I remember the Culver City – Venice wars. I remember V13 in the 80's and all that too.
I feel safe here, but some people don't. Then again, I DO keep an eye out when on the boardwalk at night … it can be sketchy down there by anyones standards.
6:23 pm
September 29, 2008
Hmm. I'm new to Venice — just moved here from West Hollywood area two months ago. Before the shooting yesterday I would have said that I feel pretty safe in the Abbot Kinney area both day and night (a little less so around Windward circle at night). I know random violence can happen pretty much anywhere but if this ends up being gang-related, I'll definitely be changing some habits when it comes to walking around after dark.
Thanks for starting this forum! I just found the blog recently and I'm quite impressed so far.
6:40 pm
September 29, 2008
All I'm saying is, this is LA – a major metropolitan area. Does Venice still have problems? Yes. Has it gotten MUCH better over the past 15 years? Undoubtably yes. Is Venice safer than many other LA areas? I don't know the statistics, but when it comes to violent and property crime I would gander that we are likely near the LA median.
I'm not trying to be a troll here – just saying that you might want to consider some context.
As you mentioned, those of us who were here during the gang wars know what it's like. Saying "drug dealers are taking over the streets in certain sections of the city" for me is akin to Anjelica Huston Robert Graham complaining about the summer concert series being too loud for our quaint urban setting – alarmist and unnecessary. This is Venice, not Mayberry RFD.
7:06 pm
June 20, 2007
Leila, thanks for the kind words! I wouldn't worry about AK – always seems to be safe to me.
Gregarious – I think Venice may have less crime than many parts of LA, but we are more aware of it as Venice is actually a place of community. Things get talked about here a lot more because locals do hang here and talk .. which is pretty cool.
The "drug dealers are taking over" is a reference to an email a reader sent us that described a pretty bad scene on their block. Everyone knows there are a few streets in Venice where the delaers hang out … it is no secret.
7:07 pm
September 20, 2008
Good point, gregarious.
When I lived on Market Street in the mid-1990s there were some nights of the week we wouldn't drive down Abbot Kinney. You're right. Things have improved dramatically. Last night could have happened anywhere, but it happened here. Does it mean more than just a random incident? I doubt it. But just in case, I'll be looking at things more closely…
7:19 pm
September 29, 2008
Can you give more specifics on where to find the drug dealers? Mine left town.
8:01 pm
September 29, 2008
new to yovenice and that link is worth it already.
I think people have forgotten what Venice was like back in the day. Just because you throw up some swanky boutiques and bars does not mean it is "safe". People around here joke about and wear hip shirts that say "Venice. Where Art Meets Crime", but then something like last night happens and it's not funny anymore.
The ghetto birds are always flying above Venice and not just in the Oakwood area.
Is Venice safe? I think so. Do I think it's safe enough for families and kids?…NO.
Venice is or should I say WAS unique because of it's gritty hard and unpolished way. Just like The Mission in San Francisco or how The East Village was in New York. Yuppies and Trust Fund babies move to these neighborhoods to grasp on to some kind of culture, so they can boast about living "on the edge". Do yourself and your kids a favor and move to Santa Monica or Palisades.
Venice is as safe as your common sense allows.
