Crime down and Local, federal partnership continues to get guns off streets

SALT LAKE CITY – Salt Lake City Police say a partnership with federal prosecutors, and the FBI continues to get more guns off the streets as crime rates dropped. 

“Every drug and gun seizure we make through the ‘Project Safe Neighborhoods’ program goes toward keeping our city safer and healthier,” said Chief Mike Brown. “Our officers and our county, state, and federal partners are committed to arresting and prosecuting those in our community who are habitually committing gun and drug crimes. I would like to thank the hardworking women and men of the Salt Lake City Police Department who are putting their lives in great danger to arrest these apex criminals.”

He released the latest year-to-date citywide crime data that showed: 

• Violent crime is down 2.7% 
• Property crime is down 16.7% 
• Overall crime is down 15.5% 

It’s been 14 months since the local, state, and federal partnership called “Project Safe Neighborhoods” launched in Salt Lake City. 

“What we are doing here is vital for safety,” Chief Mike Brown said during a news conference to update how the project has progressed. 

Authorities have seized 221 guns since Jan. 2021, including 22 this year. They have arrested more than 200 people, 60% of them were on parole.                                                                                                          

“I have been in law enforcement for 30 years but what I have learned is it is the partnerships that bring success,” said Dennis Rice with the FBI. 

 Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said this is the way governments should work.  

“Salt Lakers deserve to feel safe in our City,” Mendenhall said. “I’m committed to that need, and ‘Project Safe Neighborhoods’ is one of the many creative approaches we are engaged in that has targeted criminal activity – and in this case, targeted activity repeatedly being committed by apex criminals in our community.”  

“Guns have become a currency that people will trade for drugs or money,” Chief Brown added. 

He said about 50 of the seized guns were stolen.  

Law enforcement also seized 49 kg of meth and $200,000 in cash during the operation. 

“A key part of this effort is the community,” she said. If you see something, say something. SLCPD said many of the arrests followed tips from the public.