‘We are not yet satisfied’: SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall shares positive report on public safety

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Police Chief Brian Redd shared a positive update on the city’s public safety, but said there is still a lot of work to be done six months after unveiling a city-wide public safety plan.

Overall, Mendenhall said crime is down city-wide over the last three years, with crime in June at n eight-year low. Meanwhile, jail bookings are increasing and are on track to surpass 2024, and camping citations have also increased in the city as officers continue enforcement. Officer proactivity has also increased, with more patrols in city parks, along the Jordan River Trail, and throughout the city.

Of the 27 city-led strategies to support public safety as outlined in the city’s plan, Mendenhall said 12 have been completed within the last six months, and the rest are in progress. But Mendenhall said that these statistics are not a definitive success but a sign that the city is moving in the right direction.

“Salt Lake City is not letting a broken system prevent us from fixing the pieces that we can control,” said Mendenhall. “We’re not letting a lack of space in the shelter system mean a lack of effort on our part. And perhaps, most importantly, we’re not allowing short-term wins to distract us from the long-term work ahead. We are not finished. We are not yet satisfied, and I’m not even close.”

Mendenhall said her office has been working with several state agencies and organizations to prioritize tackling community-based issues such as access to housing services and mental health care.

Among those initiatives is the Community Impact Division of the Salt Lake City Police Department, which employs officers who work to connect unsheltered individuals with services. She reported that those officers have helped connect more than 200 willing individuals with services.

“We realize that safety doesn’t start with police sirens or a firetruck. It starts with stability,” said Mendenhall. “Clean and well-cared for public spaces, strong neighborhoods, and access to stable housing and the basic services people need to live with dignity.”

Chief Brian Redd said access to physical and mental health services is critical to helping those in need move toward stability and independence.

“Establishing accountability for those individuals – knowing that it’s not okay to use drugs, it’s not okay to violate the law, and that there will be consequences – holding them accountable and then bringing the services in behind that is going to be really critical. You need both,” said Redd.