It’s early in the political season. So I wasn’t overly surprised when I read a letter to the editor where a citizen was demanding more police officers and suggesting the public should be up in arms about their lack of police protection.
That was not my impression based on a limited review of the numbers several months ago. But then I heard a couple of community leaders make similar comments in the form of criticism of the Federal Way City Council’s deliberation of a new performing arts center. Another well-known citizen was critical of efforts toward economic development for the same reason.
The total people I heard this viewpoint from was very small. Considering they may represent a more widely-held public perception, I took a look at the recently updated crime figures for Federal Way, along with comparisons to other jurisdictions.
Crime statistics available from the police department for the period 1995-2008 tell a different story. Total crimes for Federal Way in 2008 were 4,887. That may seem like a lot, but that’s the lowest total since 1999, when we had a population of 76,910 — about 11,000 less than we have now.
Our high point for total crime was in 2005 with 6,499, but that appears to have been an unusual year as the numbers dropped each year after that. Also, not too long ago, the city council asked us to tax ourselves to add 18 new police officers, which we did.
Rape is about half of what it was a decade ago. Felony assault has held even, while arson and larceny are both down. Auto theft, a growing problem between 2000-2006, is down after the city and the county teamed up in a rigorous effort to catch auto thieves. Burglaries are up slightly, but still reflect a balanced trend. Homicide, which obviously receives a lot of publicity, was one of the few areas with a noticeable jump. However, it is also an area where implementation of preventative measures is difficult.
Our per capita crime rate is the lowest it’s been since 1995, when the sheriff was providing contract service.
Comparisons with other jurisdictions through 2007 show Federal Way slightly above the statewide average, but below our surrounding neighbors of Auburn, Renton, Kent and Tacoma in overall crimes per 1,000 of population.
That’s also true for property crimes. Violent crimes are similar, but we are at the statewide average. The 2008 statistics for the other cities were not yet available, but should be soon.
The overall conclusion is that the Federal Way Police Department is doing a good job, and that crime isn’t any worse than in surrounding areas. On the contrary, you are probably safer here. You might still disagree with how or what the city council chooses for its priorities, but including crime or police staffing in that debate doesn’t seem to hold up statistically.
Candidates for public office may still select specific numbers to campaign on, which is their option, but in general, this year’s election shouldn’t be about crime or police protection. At least not here in Federal Way. Those 18 police officers we added appear to be having an impact.
