Feedback Gathered on Crime and Safety in Seattle | 2024 | News & Stories

Anyone who lives or works in Seattle has until November 30 to complete Seattle University’s annual public safety survey. The survey, conducted by SU’s Crime and Justice Research Center (CJRC) in collaboration with the Seattle Police Department (SPD), plays a critical role in identifying the most common perceptions about crime and safety in Seattle among residents and workers.

“The Public Safety Survey is our longest-running source of information on trust, safety, legitimacy and community priorities and is the cornerstone of micro-community policing plans,” said SPD Interim Chief Sue Rahr. “It serves a critical community engagement function and also sets policing priorities for each neighborhood as well as essential baseline data for evidence-based policing. We are so grateful for this valuable partnership with Seattle University.”

The annual survey is a central component of the SPD’s micro-community policing plans. It will be conducted independently by a research team from SU’s Department of Criminal Justice, Criminology and Forensics.

Under the direction of Dr. Jacqueline Helfgott, director of the CJRC, a team of undergraduate and graduate students from Seattle University is analyzing the survey results to identify the top crime problems at the city, county and micro-community (neighborhood) levels. Professor Helfgott encourages the public to complete the survey during this public phase of the data collection process.

“Understanding how crime and public safety impact the quality of life in Seattle neighborhoods requires the voices of all people who live and/or work in Seattle,” said Dr. Help God. “No two neighborhoods in Seattle are the same when it comes to crime and public safety. Data from the annual Seattle Public Safety Survey provides critical information for the City to help the Seattle Police Department and the community work together to identify priorities and strategies to improve the quality of life in Seattle neighborhoods.”

In the 2023 survey, traffic safety, police capacity, property crime, homelessness and community capacity were the top five concerns citywide.

Don’t hesitate to make your voice heard. Take the survey by November 30th.