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Part of Century Station's efforts to reduce overall crime involves detecting persons in illegal possession of a firearm, and LA County Sheriff's Department officials said that the efforts are already helping.

This year, Century Station started the New Year by increasing enforcement with its “Don’t shoot!” campaign. On New Year’s Eve, for example, personnel from Century Station made a total of nine narcotics arrests, one stolen vehicle arrest, and one gang-related vandalism arrest.

Additionally, a patrol unit recently found a vehicle occupied by four self-admitted gang members. During a probation search of the vehicle, a loaded handgun was recovered, according to the LASD. The handgun had previously been reported stolen.

"The active gang member, who was in possession of the handgun, had a previous felony conviction for possession of a firearm," officials said in a press release. "The detection and arrest of armed persons by Century station personnel has contributed to the overall reduction of violent crime."

This news comes on heels of one of the city's most tragic crimes yet: a shooting at a meat market that occured on Jan. 15. In that incident, a good Samaritan who tried to intervene during a robbery died after he was shot.

"This is a tragedy," said Century Station Capt. Joseph M. Gooden. "One murder is too many, yet this loss is met with success because we have three in custody...and the case was solved in the first 24 hours."

Despite this incident, recently LASD officials said crime rates have dropped more than 4 percent in the past year in all areas patrolled by its deputies, with violent crimes declining by nearly 14 percent and property crimes down by just under 2 percent.

In another recent incident, a Century Station patrol found two suspicious persons, one of which quickly discarded a loaded handgun underneath a nearby vehicle. Both suspects were then detained pending a narcotics and weapons investigation, said LASD officials.

"During a pat down of the second suspect, the deputies felt and recovered a loaded handgun from his waistband area," said authorities in a press release. "Both suspects were also found to be in possession of marijuana. Both suspects admitted to possessing the loaded firearms for their protection."