Shakopee Crime Rate Takes A Dip In 2021

Shakopee MN

01 April, 2022

9:49 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Shakopee: April 1, 2022 After a tough year riddled with pandemic upheaval and anxiety-inducing headlines, Shakopee residents can take solace in the city's crime rate dropping to the third lowest its been in over 25 years. "We are very proud of the work we've done and want people to know this is a safe community," Police Chief Jeff Tate said. "The third lowest crime rate in over 25 years is a testament to the type of community and police department we have." The crime rate is defined as the number of crimes committed per 100,000 people. In 2021, the city's crime rate was 5.91%, dipping slightly from the 2020 crime rate of 5.95%. Tate was particularly struck by the fact the overall crime rate down despite an increase in number of police calls and arrests. "That bodes well for our case clearance rate, or the number of cases we are able to solve," he said. The most serious crimes, classified as "part one" crimes, decreased 1.71% overall from 2020. In particular, assaults were down 28%, and burglaries were down 48%. Vehicle thefts also dropped by 17% in 2021 compared to 2020. Reports of "part two" crimes – such as stolen property, fraud, vandalism, embezzlement and DUIs – stayed relatively stable with 2020 levels, seeing an overall drop of .2%. There was a marked increase in DUI arrests, however, from 148 total in 2020 to 201 total in 2021. Tate said the DUI numbers are discouraging, but the overall relationship between increasing arrest numbers and a decreasing case rate is encouraging as a general rule. "We're arresting more people on fewer crimes," he said. "Our case clearance rates remain above the metro average. When we do have a crime, our clearance rates demonstrate that we are doing something about it." Tate attributes the decreasing crime rate trend to his department's community policing efforts, which involve a significant amount of trust building and engagement among residents and visitors. "Community policing works, and not just in 2021," he said. "The last 10 years have all seen significantly low crime rates. Social media might tell another story because of state and national headlines, but here in Shakopee we live in a very safe community." This press release was produced by the City of Shakopee. The views expressed here are the author's own.