From the City of Sugar Land: Sugar Land’s crime rate for 2017 was the lowest on record.
The results were included in the Sugar Land Police Department’s 2017 Annual Report. More results follow:
- Sugar Land’s crime rate decreased 10 percent from 2016 to 2017. The rate is 50.4 percent lower than the state average and 44 percent lower than the national average for 2016.
- Sugar Land’s violent crime rate decreased 22 percent from 2016 to 2017. The rate is 84 percent lower than the state average and 82 percent lower than the national average for 2016.
- Sugar Land’s property crime rate decreased 9.5 percent from 2016 to 2017. The rate is 45 percent lower than the state average and 38 percent lower than the national average for 2016.
National and state crime rates for 2017 will not be published until later this year.
The overall crime rate is comprised of Part 1 crimes that include homicides, sexual assaults, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, thefts and auto thefts. Based on statistics published annually by the FBI, Sugar Land’s 2017 crime rate was lower than other cities in Fort Bend County and the Houston region.
Sugar Land’s lowest crime rate on record was achieved after hitting a 20-year low in 2016.
Sugar Land Police Chief Doug Brinkley credits a strong police presence, community partnerships, public education, a commitment to technology, training and departmental leadership for Sugar Land’s historically low crime rate.
Analysis from the reports shows that family violence accounted for 31 percent of aggravated assaults, shoplifting represented 37 percent of all thefts and the majority of vehicle burglaries occurred at fitness centers where valuables were often left in plain site or in unlocked vehicles. Part 1 crime statistics follow:
| Offense | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| Homicide | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sexual Assault | 4 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 8 |
| Robbery | 35 | 37 | 41 | 43 | 36 |
| Agg. Assault | 57 | 54 | 29 | 19 | 16 |
| Burglary | 256 | 220 | 206 | 250 | 159 |
| Theft | 1311 | 1133 | 1239 | 1157 | 1107 |
| Auto Theft | 46 | 42 | 30 | 49 | 58 |
| Total | 1,710 (20.23) |
1,492 (17.25 |
1,552 (17.84) |
1,532 (17.54) |
1,384 (15.78) |
Priorities during 2018 will include:
- the creation of a parks security master plan;
- online crime reporting enhancements;
- review and implementation of a management study conducted by industry experts as part of an overall program of continuous improvement;
- continued evaluation of a public safety training facility;
- citywide expansion of the Crime Prevention Camera program, which utilized license plate recognition cameras at entrances to the city;
- a focus on traffic enforcement at top accident locations; and
- a continued focus on residential burglaries, robberies and vehicle burglaries.
“Despite our historic low crime rate, we will remain proactive and continue our focus to remain one of the safest cities in the nation,” said Brinkley. “This will include continued resources such as a special impact team to address burglaries and educational efforts intended to ensure our citizens remain safe. We are committed to a leadership role in building community partnerships.
“It’s important for us to stay connected to the community, which enables us to work together to create a safe environment to live and work.”
