The LAPD's Central Area, which covers most of Downtown, reported a 2.8% drop in violent and property crimes in 2010.

The figure, compiled from reports through Dec. 18, also reflects an 11% decrease over the past two years; the trend continued with the appointment of a new Central captain, Todd Chamberlain, last January.

The fall in Downtown crime began four years ago, after the launch of the Safer Cities Initiative, which deployed 50 extra officers to Skid Row. It led to a 30% decrease in 2007. Except for a slight uptick in 2008, crime has fallen every year since. In 2010, violent crime, a category that includes homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults, dropped 7.8 %.

Robberies decreased 11.2%, from 474 in 2009 to 421 and aggravated assaults dropped 5.8% from 415 to 391. Rapes, however, increased 9%, from 33 to 36.