The Bellevue Police Department (BPD) recently gathered crime statistics for 2023, including calls-for-service tracked by Sarpy County Emergency Communications Center. In reviewing these numbers, we realized a 9% increase in total calls-for-service, (51,077 in 2023, as compared to 46,781 in 2022 – which had stayed relatively static for several years). It should be noted that Bellevue has grown in population by 20% over the last five years (53,493 in 2019 to 66918 in 2023), while calls-for-service have grown at under half of that rate. Although our calls for service grow, along with our City, I am happy to report that crime continues to drop in almost every category.

Due to the ongoing support of City Administrator Ristow, Mayor Hike, and the Bellevue City Council, the BPD has grown substantially and been fully staffed for the last two years. We are among a very small percentage of departments in the nation that are at capacity, and this has allowed us to focus on proactive crime reduction efforts.

The addition of sworn personnel has allowed us to increase staffing on each of our patrol shifts. It has also allowed us to fill specialty units which are intended to target and investigate specific types of crime. It is our belief that a significant portion of the decrease in crime can be attributed to the increase in human resources to the Police Department over the last two years.

As we look at our reduction in crime, it is interesting to compare these numbers to where they were approximately five years ago when BPD was almost 20% understaffed. Comparing those numbers;

Robberies have dropped 89%
Homicides have dropped 80%
Burglaries have dropped 40%
Child Abuse has dropped 39%
Destruction of property has dropped 22%
Personal injury and fatality crashes are down 19%
Fraud is down by 16%
Theft is down by 14%
Domestic Assault is down by 12%

It should be noted that these numbers are even more impressive if you adjust the drop in crime for population growth of the city.

As stated earlier, it can be argued that much of this reduction in crime is directly correlated to our increased presence and pro-active enforcement. Comparing our pro-active efforts over the same five-year period;

Vacation Watches are up 300%
Selective Enforcement is up 292%
Traffic Stops are up 57%

As the City continues to grow and progress, we will continue to assess your needs and allocate our resources appropriately. The Police Department has a great working relationship with Mayor Hike, City Administrator Ristow, and the City Council, and we are all dedicated to the highest level of public safety for Bellevue.