PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

JANUARY 5, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

Media Request Form: https://slcpd.com/mediarequest/

SLCPD Releases Response Times for December 2023

 SALT LAKE CITY — Today, the Salt Lake City Police Department released response time data for December 2023, which showed priority 1 response times improved by more than two minutes from December 2022.

Response times to calls for service is a metric the Salt Lake City Police Department is constantly striving to improve.

A police department’s response time can be calculated two ways – the cumulative response time and the actual drive-time response after the first available officer is dispatched to a scene. The cumulative response time includes the time a person spends on the phone with 9-1-1, call processing time, dispatch time and an officer’s drive to the scene.

Response times vary across the country and are dependent on many complex factors that are distinctive to each jurisdiction.

In December 2023, the SLCPD’s average response times were as follows (formatted as MM:SS):

•              Priority 1 – 09:22, an improvement of 02:22 from December 2022.

•              Priority 2 – 14:05, an improvement of 00:33 from December 2022.

•              Priority 3 – 34:27, an increase of 03:31 from December 2022.

The combined overall average response time, which includes all Priority 1-3 responses, for December 2023 was 24:22, an increase of 01:31 from December 2022.

“While we’ve seen a marginal increase to our overall average response time in December, it’s crucial to recognize and remember our officers are continuing to deliver policing services in line with our community’s expectations,” said Chief Mike Brown. “The commitment of our officers ensures that, even with slight variations in response times, we maintain the high standards our community deserves.”

Overall response times have dropped to 2019 levels despite staffing challenges and a significant increase in calls for service. As of January 3, 2024, the Salt Lake City Police Department has 44 vacant positions for police officers.

Salt Lake City Police Department response times are updated monthly and are available at this link: https://slcpd.com/open-data/response-times/.

Operationally, the Salt Lake City Police Department is down approximately 19%, which includes the 44 vacant positions, number of officers currently in training and officers on some sort of leave, including military and family leave. The Salt Lake City Police Department continues to work with the Mayor and City Council to expand recruitment, retention and increase its authorized staffing level.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is also working with SLC911 and other criminal justice stakeholders to expand call diversion and online reporting.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is a transparent law enforcement agency. On the Salt Lake City Police Department’s website, the department provides monthly updates to the cumulative response times.

In October 2022, Chief Mike Brown and Mayor Erin Mendenhall released an update to the SLCPD Crime Control Plan to lower crime, improve response times, fill authorized staffing levels for sworn positions and to continue building community relationships.

The strategies outlined in the Crime Control Plan include expanding recruitment and hiring efforts, developing a violent criminal apprehension team, implementing the Community Response Team, expanding the department’s call diversion program and its online reporting capabilities.

The use of data-driven policing strategies has allowed the Salt Lake City Police Department to allocate resources more effectively, addressing crime hotspots and identifying emerging crime trends quickly. This proactive approach has contributed significantly to reducing crime and enhancing the overall quality of life in our community.

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