Sugar Land Reports 10 Percent Drop In Crime Rate From 2016

SUGAR LAND, TX — Sugar Land’s crime rate for 2017 was the lowest on record.

The results were included in the Sugar Land Police Department’s 2017 Annual Report. More results follow:

• Sugar Land’s crime rate decreased 10 percent from 2016 to 2017. The rate is 50.4 percent lower than the state average and 44 percent lower than the national average for 2016.
• Sugar Land’s violent crime rate decreased 22 percent from 2016 to 2017. The rate is 84 percent lower than the state average and 82 percent lower than the national average for 2016.
• Sugar Land’s property crime rate decreased 9.5 percent from 2016 to 2017. The rate is 45 percent lower than the state average and 38 percent lower than the national average for 2016.

National and state crime rates for 2017 will not be published until later this year.

The overall crime rate is comprised of Part 1 crimes that include homicides, sexual assaults, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, thefts and auto thefts.

In 2017, Sugar Land Police investigated 1,384 crimes, a majority of which were thefts totalling 1,107 last year, followed by 159 burglaries, 58 auto thefts, 36 robberies, 16 aggravated assaults, and eight sexual assaults.

There were no recorded homicides in Sugar Land, and haven't been since 2015.

In 2013, the city recorded higher crime numbers across the board totalling 1,710 reported crimes.

Those 2013 numbers included 1,311 thefts, 256 burglaries, 57 aggravated assaults, 46 auto thefts, 35 robberies, 4 sexual assaults and a homicide.

Sugar Land’s lowest crime rate on record was achieved after hitting a 20-year low in 2016.

Based on statistics published annually by the FBI, Sugar Land’s 2017 crime rate was lower than other cities in Fort Bend County and the Houston region.

Sugar Land Police Chief Doug Brinkley credits a strong police presence, community partnerships, public education, a commitment to technology, training and departmental leadership for Sugar Land’s historically low crime rate.

Analysis from the reports shows that family violence accounted for 31 percent of aggravated assaults, shoplifting represented 37 percent of all thefts and the majority of vehicle burglaries occurred at fitness centers where valuables were often left in plain site or in unlocked vehicles.

Priorities during 2018 will include:

• Creating a parks security master plan
• Enhancing online crime reporting
• Reviewing and implementating a management study conducted by industry experts as part of an overall program of continuous improvement
• Evaluate of a public safety training facility
• Expand the city's Crime Prevention Camera program, which utilized license plate recognition cameras at entrances to the city
• Traffic enforcement at top accident locations
• A continued focus on residential burglaries, robberies and vehicle burglaries.

“Despite our historic low crime rate, we will remain proactive and continue our focus to remain one of the safest cities in the nation,” said Brinkley. “This will include continued resources such as a special impact team to address burglaries and educational efforts intended to ensure our citizens remain safe. We are committed to a leadership role in building community partnerships.

“It's important for us to stay connected to the community, which enables us to work together to create a safe environment to live and work.”

Image: Renee Schiavone/Patch

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