Crime continues its decline in Lakewood

Police Chief Patrick D. Smith shared the Lakewood Police Department’s annual report and year-end 2024 crime summary with the Lakewood City Council at its March 10 meeting. 

Overall, the city saw its total crime rate drop 19% compared to 2023. This was the largest drop in crime in the last two years. In 2023 crime was down nearly 4% over 2022 and in 2022 it was down nearly 7% compared to 2021.

For 2024, crime rates were down in the following categories:

• Violent crime dropped 3%
• Aggravated assaults dropped 14%
• Property crimes dropped 26%, including:
• Vehicle thefts by 67% 
• Vandalism by 30%
• Stolen property by 26%
• Burglary by 20%

There are four primary reasons for this significant decline. 

First are the public policy ordinances passed by the Lakewood City Council. This includes making it illegall to openly use controlled substances on public property and making it illegal for people to sleep on public property when shelter beds are available. 

The second can be traced to police leadership and a focus on regularly adapting to addressing crime, like the department’s retail theft emphasis efforts in the Central Business District and speed emphasis patrols across the city. 

The third is the introduction and implementation of technology to assist officers in their policing. The department deployed the FLOCK video system in October 2023 to identify stolen vehicles. The impact of this technology resulted in a significant decline in stolen vehicles again in 2024.

Finally, the Lakewood Police Department is fully staffed with some of the best trained and motivated law enforcement professionals. While other agencies are having trouble hiring police officers, LPD has a waiting list making the Lakewood an employer of choice.