Stormland TV actually did an interesting story comparing the crime rates of Sioux Falls to Lincoln, NE and Overland Park, KS.
While our mayor and police chief (and mayors and police chiefs before them) have been saying our crime rate grows with population, there is a different story in other towns, also factor in Lincoln has about 100K more people and they have around half the incidents that we do.
Why is that? Well I attribute it to having a community conversation when hiring a police chief instead of a fashion competition.
Sioux Falls has grown 2 and a half times in population since 1980, but have the other two cities cited done that?
It’s not the population itself, but the significant growth in time and place which is the issue in my estimation.
Historically, Sioux Falls has been under staffed for our population, and that has been a problem as well.
But you are right, it should take more than some sideburns and a Rudy Giuliani 9/11 moment after some rock throwing at the Empire Mall to make you chief. But maybe another mannequin challenge could also help … 😉
Drugs are a prevalent problem. I-90 is the Silk Road across the top of the US. Jobs are here but devious transients come. Work a month then get unemployment for 6 all the while shop lifting part time. Plant people in cubicle prison then wonder why they go berserk. Hire illegals for the pork plant. It’s regional characteristics that changed and led to a problem with crime.
“Work a month then get unemployment for 6” This is an impossibility. One must have a record of employment with at least $1500 of earnings in 3 of the last 5 quarters to qualify for unemployment. And at that rate (the minimum) unemployment compensation would amount to about $35/week.