Everett police report declines in several crime categories, say youth violence and traffic safety remain priorities

Everett police told the City Public Safety Committee that several categories of reported crime fell in 2024 compared with recent averages, but officials cautioned the city still faces persistent problems with youth violence, stolen firearms and pedestrian safety.

Police spokesperson (department presenter) said crimes against persons were down about 17% in 2024 compared with a three‑year average and were below 2019 levels. The spokesperson added that while overall violent crime has fallen in some measures, “youth violence hasn’t decreased” and remains a focus for the department.

The department grouped reported incidents into three categories — crimes against persons, crimes against property and crimes against society — and highlighted specific trends. “Shots fired” incidents were reported 8% below the department’s three‑year average and 29% below 2023, the spokesperson said, noting the figures capture incidents where a shot could be confirmed (shell casings, bullet damage or other verification), not only arrests. Auto thefts and other property crimes were also down; the department said crimes against property were down 27% from the three‑year average.

Nut graf: The statistics provide context for near‑term enforcement and program priorities but do not remove the need for ongoing work. City staff and council members pressed police to maintain focus on youth‑targeted outreach, rapid removal of visible disorder (graffiti and encampments) and targeted traffic enforcement after hearing the department’s presentation.

Police program and enforcement updates

The department said a combination of enforcement and community programs has contributed to the improvements it reported. Officials credited a Flock Safety camera deployment — funded initially through the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority (WAPTA) grant — with helping investigators recover vehicles and identify suspects in violent cases and thefts. The department said the Flock project began in September and showed pronounced declines in auto thefts as camera data accumulated; the spokesperson cautioned six months of data “doesn’t make a trend” but said early results were promising. The city has secured funding for the first two years of the program (September‑to‑September) and is seeking outside revenues for future years.

The police noted three firearms buyback events that collected almost 500 guns and said the department has distributed free gun safety locks with community partners. Officials also said stolen firearms spiked in 2022 and remain a concern because many are taken from vehicles or unsecured homes.

Gang activity and community partnerships

Police acknowledged gang activity in the city and said they avoid profiling; they referenced the Revised Code of Washington’s legal definitions when determining gang‑related cases. The department described a pilot referral program with a local community organization (identified in the transcript as the Latino Civic Alliance) to provide wraparound services for youth who will not engage directly with officers. The department said past internal programs run by police had limited success because some youth will not engage with anyone “wearing a badge,” so the strategy now emphasizes trusted community partners.

Graffiti removal and community complaints

Officials said the city has increased graffiti removal efforts and ran a paint‑over event on Casino Road the day of the briefing. Staff noted a dedicated online request process (the Everett “work” app / website) for residential graffiti removal and said public works handles removal requests; council members encouraged ongoing neighborhood outreach about the removal request process.

Traffic safety emphasis

Police described two enforcement surges on Evergreen/ Airport Road to 112th aimed at pedestrian safety. The department reported a 66% drop in collisions during an emphasis period from Dec. 3–31 and a 45% drop during a second emphasis Jan. 1–29; there were no pedestrian fatalities in that corridor during those two periods. The department also said it is running overtime patrols focused on modified exhaust (loud vehicle) complaints. To identify enforcement locations, the department deploys speed reader boards that log speed data; staff said they acquired another board with grant funds but that the unit still has only one motorcycle traffic officer and has vacancies to fill.

State legislation and legal risks

City staff told the committee the city is tracking state bills that could affect enforcement, including House Bill 1380. Staff said they had submitted concerns to state representatives and warned the bill — as drafted in committee discussion — could create vagueness and liability risks for the city by enabling private lawsuits over local ordinances (including the city’s buffer‑zone ordinance for encampments). Staff also said the city participates in regular regional lobbying calls and coordinates priorities with mayors and business groups.

Next steps and priorities

Police and council members agreed the department’s top focus this year will be youth violent crime and continued evaluation of technology such as Flock Safety. The department said it will pursue partnerships and grants for sustained funding, continue targeted traffic and modified‑exhaust enforcement, and expand graffiti removal and outreach. The committee asked staff to return with additional data in future meetings, including domestic‑violence numbers, EMS/fire data related to substance calls, and updates on enforcement outcomes and unpaid fines collected by the court.

Ending: Committee members thanked staff for the briefing and asked for periodic updates; police said they will bring technology evaluations and legislative impact briefings back to the committee as developments occur.