Sioux Falls residents may feel a bit safer walking around the city. In a press conference on Monday, November 29th, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken and Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum shared with the public the city has experienced less crime during the past year.

New numbers from the City of Sioux Falls Police Department show that overall crime rates through October have dropped significantly in 2021. This includes homicides, assaults (both aggravated and domestic), and robberies. However, there are a few statistics that are alarming and stand out in the current crime trends.

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On a smaller scale, the number of stolen vehicles has increased dramatically throughout the city. Just in the last couple of weeks alone, Police Chief Jon Thum indicated that almost 30 cars have been stolen. Some of these vehicles have had the keys in their ignitions. Chief Thum explains that it sounds like they are "beating a dead horse," but it is important to lock your vehicles and to never leave your keys in the car.

Another startling number shows that drug crime arrests are on the rise, and there's no clear sign of this trend slowing down. “Record amounts of fentanyl seized" in the city surpassed 2019 numbers. Chief Thum and the rest of the force strongly believe that fentanyl is "probably one of the most dangerous drug out there." Fentanyl is linked to most drug overdoses, and these numbers are growing in the city.

In 2021, the police have documented 70 drug overdoses through October. There were 81 drug overdoses in 2019 and 53 in 2020. So far, there have been 26 deaths linked to drug overdoses. Chief Thum stated during the press conference these overdose deaths are mainly among teenagers and adults in their early 20s. The most difficult part about these situations? Telling parents that their own child has died from an overdose.

With the city growing at such a swift pace, crime rates will eventually catch up to this rapid growth. It’s so critical now more than ever that in an effort to continue to safeguard the City of Sioux Falls and its residents, new officers who have joined the City of Sioux Falls Police Department participate in the most preeminent and latest training programs available. Sioux Falls police officers are truly determined “to serve and protect” to the best of their abilities.

For information on the latest crime trends in Sioux Falls, check out this story from our partners at Dakota News Now.

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We made a list of some of the worst parking lots in the Sioux Falls Metro. Be extra careful while guiding your vehicle in these tricky lots.

Is the parking lot you dread driving in the most on this list? Take a look and find out.

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