Carlsbad remains one of the safest cities in the region, based on the latest crime statistics presented to the City Council Tuesday. The SANDAG mid-year crime index report also shows that 2020 sticks out from other recent years, likely due to people staying home more during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For example, residential burglaries and car thefts plummeted in 2020 during the early months of the pandemic. When stay-at-home restrictions lifted, those numbers bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.
SANDAG officials said the pandemic made 2020 an anomaly, so it makes more sense to compare 2021 crime rates to previous years as a baseline. Through that lens, violent crime is down in Carlsbad and property crimes are up only slightly.
The report delivered to the City Council on Tuesday also highlighted strategies the Carlsbad Police Department uses to combat and prevent crime in the city, like utilizing data to ensure the right resources are being directed to the right areas.
Calderwood also encouraged residents to call 9-1-1 or the police 24-hour non-emergency line at 760-931-2197 to report suspicious activity or any other safety concerns. Sometimes people are hesitant to call the police because they aren’t sure their concern is significant enough. All information is helpful, said Calderwood. Encouraging a free flow of information is one of the many benefits of police officers having strong relationships in the community.
Read the full staff report
