PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

December 8, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

SLCPD Provides Update on Violent Crime Reduction Plan, Stratified Policing

SALT LAKE CITY — Today, the Salt Lake City Police Department released data and provided an update on the department’s Violent Crime Reduction Plan and Stratified Policing.

The Salt Lake City Police Department has a statistical identified focus area within three of its four patrol divisions. In November 2022, all focus areas had some sort of reduction in crime, whether it was violent crime, property crime or reductions in both.

●        The Pioneer Patrol Division focus area border is from 200 North to South Temple and 700 West to 1000 West.

●        The Central Patrol Division focus area border is from 200 South to 400 South and West Temple to South State Street.

●        The Liberty Patrol Division focus area border is from 1300 South to 1500 South and 200 West to South State Street.

The focus areas will be reevaluated over time and may change, depending on crime statistics.

As Chief Mike Brown previously announced, the Salt Lake City Police Department is working to proactively reduce violent crime in Salt Lake City.

●        The Pioneer Patrol Division focus area did not see an increase in violent crime but saw 41% fewer property crimes in November 2022 when compared to November 2021.

●        The Central Patrol Division focus area saw 20% fewer violent crimes and 46% fewer property crimes in November 2022 when compared to November 2021.

●        The Liberty Patrol Division focus area saw 75% fewer violent crimes and 56% fewer property crimes in November 2022 when compared to November 2021.

As part of the SLCPD’s ongoing Stratified Policing approach to proactively reducing crime, SLCPD Division Commanders are responsible for coordinating problem-solving, place-based, offender-based and community-oriented approaches within their identified focus areas to reduce crime.

In the three identified focus areas referenced above, SLCPD worked with the department’s crime analysts to identify crime patterns and to increase police visibility at or near those locations to deter violent crimes.

More specifically, and as an example of the work being conducted, the Pioneer Division Commander worked with the SLCPD’s Special Investigations Unit and Pioneer Bike Squad to recently conduct a street-level drug interdiction mission. The Central Division Commander is working with the city to have new lights installed in an area known for criminal activity. The Liberty Division Commander meets regularly with businesses and has worked with the Salt Lake City Fire Department to address reckless burning and arson cases.

There are three things needed for a crime to occur, (1) a motivated offender, (2) a victim/target and (3) a place where offenders and victim/targets interact. Systematically removing one of these three elements through intentional police strategies can prevent multiple crimes in the long term.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is committed to a police-led, community-wide response to reducing violence, arresting and prosecuting violent offenders.

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