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Des Moines police present crime data, animal‑control options and staffing shortfalls
Summary
Police presented the 2024 Crimes in Washington report, local crime trends and options for animal control on Sept. 25, and said Des Moines remains below the statewide officers‑per‑1,000 average; staff outlined animal control contract, hybrid and county options and flagged capacity and budget constraints.
Des Moines police briefed the City Council on crime trends, staffing and animal‑control options during the Sept. 25 meeting, reporting reductions in some offenses in 2024 but noting statewide trends that lag national patterns and persistent local staffing shortfalls.
Police presentation: The department walked council through the statewide Crimes in Washington reporting system and changes from the older summary reporting to the more detailed NIBRS format. The chief said NIBRS yields richer data but complicates historical comparisons; Washington’s violent‑crime trend since 2019 differs from the national picture, and the state has a higher percentage increase in violent crime over that window than the national average.
Local trends and staffing: Des Moines reported an 11% reduction in Part A crimes in 2024, a 46% reduction in auto theft and declines in burglary and weapons offenses, which the chief attributed in part to enforcement tools and new programs. The department also reported an increase in simple assault and drug violations; the latter reflects…
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