RAPID CITY, S.D. – Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender and Police Chief Don Hedrick took to the City Council chambers to discuss the current state of crime in Rapid City on Wednesday.
Looking at the numbers finds something of a mixed bag, with a defined spike in crime through the height of the Covid pandemic, while many of those figures fell for the 2021 year.
For example – compared to 2020, crimes like aggravated assault and robbery are down 9 percent and 28 percent respectively, while murders increased by 25 percent in 2021.
Chief Hedrick says total violent crimes numbered 686 in 2021, representing a 12% drop over 2020.
Police theorize substance abuse, alcoholism, social isolation through COVID, and different political views amongst family and friends are just some of the causes of rising crime.
Mayor Allender says solving crimes starts with support from the community.
“It is a very complicated problem of solving crime, and it involves the community being there with us. This is not a service that can be perfected without community support. It requires community support.”
Plans are in place to hire 12 new officers, with seven coming on through grant money.
