Leaders in Newport Beach gathered to discuss whether the coastal city’s living standards were declining during a March 10 webinar. “In the last year we’ve seen a worldwide pandemic leading to an unprecedented societal shutdown, affecting our workplaces, schools, and places of worship,” said Newport Beach Police Department Deputy Chief Steve Rasmussen, who moderated the forum. “We’ve experienced riots, social unrest, and calls to defend the police despite the chaos. And finally, we’ve seen heightened political polarization, leading to escalating conflicts between both neighbors and even old friends. The conventional wisdom is that all of these challenges have led to a reduction in quality of life for many Americans.” However, the troubles the city faced has not translated into a higher crime rate. Last year’s crime report as almost dead even with 2019, Rasmussen said. As well, 2019 and 2020 saw more than a 10 percent reduction below the city’s five-year average for crime. Hope for the …