The San Diego Police Department ranks second to lowest in overall crime rates among the 10 largest U.S. cities. Paradoxically, San Diego has the lowest officer to civilian ratio among the same ten cities. The Department frequently refers to this concept as “doing more with less.” In the early 1970s, as the City of San Diego became more populated, officers began enforcing community oriented policing, encouraging the citizens of individual communities to fight crime in their own neighborhoods. This active participation created a partnership between the police force and the city and has become a popular way of deterring criminal activity.
San Diego’s methods have proven so successful in dropping crime rates that over 80% of U.S. police departments have implemented similar programs. Even foreign governments in Asia and Europe have sent observers to study San Diego’s community crime-fighting strategies.
With 1,990 sworn police offers and 62 trainees, San Diego is in need of additional recruits. San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne has a strategic plan that calls for 300 new police over the next ten years, with 100 to come in the next year. He hopes to rebuild the organization with more training, equipment, and staffing, as the police force grows. Local representatives are pushing for $100 million over the next ten years to support police and fire departments. Though the per capita police numbers are at standard lows, significant factors for determining crime rate highlight San Diego as a safe environment. These factors include family stability, socio-economic conditions, quality of education, civic leadership, and public services.
