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Tacoma Police Department Violent Crime Reduction Plan Update

Tacoma Police Department Provides Mid-Year Analysis on the Violent Crime Reduction Plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 16, 2023

 

MEDIA CONTACT

Wendy Haddow, Tacoma Police Department Public Information Officer, whaddow@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5968

Tacoma Police Department Provides Mid-Year Analysis on the Crime Reduction Plan

 

The Tacoma Police Department provided a mid-year analysis on the Violent Crime Reduction Plan during the City Council Study Session on May 16. 

 

Police Chief Avery Moore and University of Texas San Antonio consultants gave a presentation that included an overview of the Violent Crime Reduction Phase 1 (Hot Spot) approach. The summary included the first eight months of the plan, a discussion about ongoing efforts and next steps of the mid-term strategy.

 

Last summer, Tacoma Police Department began executing its near-term, hot spots policing strategy which focused on violence-prone addresses. By increasing police visibility at or near those locations to deter violent offenders, the goal is to drive down violent crime in and around these areas, thereby impacting crime levels within larger geographical areas (e.g., patrol sectors). 

 

Between July 2022, and February 2023, 16 treatment locations were identified using crime patterns and analyzed for temporal patterns of highest risk for violent crime, and peak crime hours/days of the week were identified for each location. Officers were dispatched to each location during high-risk hours and were instructed to be within sight of the hot spot address for at least 15 minutes, with all vehicle lights illuminated. Otherwise, addresses received normal patrol and/or response to calls for service.

 

The mid-year results of these efforts (July 2022 - February 2023) were:

  • A 21 percent reduction in violent crime incidents at the city-wide level during the treatment period compared to the previous 12 months.
  • Reductions in average monthly crime rates city-wide, in treatment locations and catchment areas, by treatment type, and by violent crime type when compared to the same time last year.
  • Reductions in average monthly violent crime incidents across all catchment and treatment areas by sector when compared to the same time last year.
  • Varied impacts on arrests (some increases and some decreases) depending upon arrest type – total arrests, violent crime, disorder, drugs, weapons, and warrant arrests – compared to the same time last year.
  • A decrease in violence-related calls for service in treatment locations compared to the same time last year.        
  • Treatment fidelity remained above 90 percent in all three Periods, and TPD reduced excessive officer treatment after Period 1.       

The Tacoma Police Department is continuing to work toward full implementation of its mid-term strategy, which includes Problem-Oriented, Place-Based Policing (POPBP) to address underlying conditions that contribute to recurring problems in crime-prone locations. This approach has proven to be more effective at reducing crime than merely increasing or intensifying traditional police activities.

 

The Tacoma Police Department completed training on POPBP in February 2023. A work group has been meeting to define problems in and around the Hosmer area since March 2023.

 

Additional updates are expected in September 2023 and January 2024.

 

For more information about the Violent Crime Reduction Plan, and to see Chief Moore's May 16 presentation, visit cityoftacoma.org/crimereduction.

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