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SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City's police chief and mayor say overall crime in the city continues to shift in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.
"This is just really a beginning of us going in a better and right direction. And in no way are we saying there is an absence of crime or that we have achieved some level of satisfaction with this. We're saying the ship is being righted and we're going to keep pulling as hard as we can to turn it in a better direction every single day," said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
Mendenhall and Police Chief Mike Brown gave another update Wednesday on crime in the city, similar to the press conference they held just two weeks ago, focusing on trends in each of the city's seven districts over the past 28 days as well as year-to-date statistics.
According to the city, overall crime is down 18% over the past month and down 2% from Jan. 1 through Wednesday compared to the same time period last year. That equates to 321 fewer offenses in 2021 as of Wednesday than in 2020. Brown said that's significant because it means 321 fewer victims than a year ago.
But city statistics also show violent crime is up 8% over the past 28 days, including homicides which through Wednesday remained ahead of 2020's number. Mendenhall noted that violent crime and murders are up in all major cities across the nation. When asked what was driving the increase in homicides and violence, Brown said he couldn't point to any one factor but noted that a record number of guns were sold nationwide in 2020, that more handguns seem to be getting into the hands of people who shouldn't have them, and resolution conflict seems to be getting settled more with guns and violence.
The chief said the frequent updates of crime statistics help his police commanders come up with plans to address the problems in the areas that need help, and to act on those plans quickly.
In District 5, for example, which extends approximately from 900 South to 2100 South, and from I-15 to 1600 East, overall crime, property crime and violent crime were all up over the past 28 days, including a 43% increase in violent crimes. According to CompStat data, which the Salt Lake City Police Department uses to compile its crime statistics, that increase in violent crime was fueled mainly by a 97% increase in aggravated assaults over the past month.
"You better believe we have operations going in District 5 as a response to this," Mendenhall said as an example of how the city uses the crime data to address problems.
The mayor also noted that the crime statistics also show why community participation is important. Without the public calling police and reporting crimes in their neighborhoods, the city can't come up with a game plan to address those issues.
In contrast, according to the city's statistics, District 6 – which covers from approximately Sunnyside Avenue to 2100 South and Foothill Drive, and from 1300 East to the east bench – had zero violent crimes over the past 28 days, including no homicides, rapes, robberies or aggravated assaults.
While Mendenhall said she is encouraged by the incremental improvements in crime across the board, she said the police department and city leaders will continue to work to make Salt Lake City safe for residents and visitors alike, acknowledging that people are still experiencing crime every day in the city.
"There is no finish line for safety in Salt Lake City," she said. "We are driven and we are committed to making sure that we continue to see these numbers go down and we continue to work with our community to make Salt Lake City safer for everyone."
