Safe Cities Tend to Have a Few Things in Common

Law enforcement and elected officials need to work together, and police must gain residents’ trust, studies have found.

Police officers from the K-9 unit patrol in front of the convention center during San Diego Comic Con International on July 24, 2022. Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images

Most people understand what makes a city unsafe, but what are the pillars and policies that make a city safe?

Recent studies from financial information website MoneyGeek and safety and security site SafeWise found that the essential characteristics of a safe city include collaboration between elected leaders and law enforcement and visible, high-morale police officers who know the public supports them.

Earning Public Trust

Zionsville, Indiana, just northwest of Indianapolis, is recognized as one of the safest cities in the country. According to SafeWise’s 2024 report on the state’s safest cities, Zionsville is the safest place in Indiana. The town of roughly 30,000 people held second place the year before, highlighting its continued commitment to low crime rates. Zionsville was also ranked third in a MoneyGeek survey of safe U.S. cities.

The crime rate in Zionsville is significantly below the national average, with only 375 incidents per 100,000 residents, compared with the national average of 2,324. The town reported 15 violent crimes per 100,000 people, a rate 95.9 percent lower than the national average. Property crimes are also notably low, with 359 incidents per 100,000 residents, 81.6 percent below the U.S. average.

Mayor John Stehr has played a major role in maintaining this reputation. Stehr told The Epoch Times that the key is building trust between the community and law enforcement.

“When we speak with groups in neighborhood forums, we discuss the importance of looking out for one another,” Stehr said. “When they trust us and share information, that helps prevent crime. Trust is earned, which we work hard to do.”

Since taking office, Stehr has made safety a top priority. His administration focuses on maintaining quality of life, preserving historic areas, and ensuring that town policies and programs serve all residents effectively.

Michael Spears, Zionsville chief of police, said: “We have great support from the mayor, which is critical for us to do our jobs. We make sure our police officers are service-oriented. They put the needs of the residents first.”

The police department works closely with neighboring departments to monitor activities and share intelligence, ensuring preparedness for potential threats. Spears said the city’s community engagement initiatives include a citizens academy designed to educate residents about the operations and responsibilities of the police.

Participants gain insights into officers’ roles and responsibilities, including crime-scene investigations, use of force, and accident reconstruction. The program also includes practical experiences, such as a four-hour ride-along with an officer, which gives citizens a firsthand look at law enforcement.

“It might sound [like a] cliché, but our people are the eyes and ears of the police department,” Spears said. “Some are afraid to call the police, but we’ve built an atmosphere of community policing that is a huge factor in creating public safety.”

On the Same Page

Thomas Hogan, a seasoned criminology and law enforcement expert, said the importance of collaboration among elected city leaders, law enforcement, and the court system  cannot be overstated.

“Police departments need support from elected officials and the court system to protect communities effectively,” Hogan said. “It does no good to have an effective police department when there are judges who put criminals back on the street to commit more crimes. Likewise, judges seeking to apply the law but [who] don’t have police doing their jobs don’t serve our communities well.

“It’s paramount that mayors, law enforcement, and prosecutors work together.”

Hogan notes that crime often occurs at specific times, such as weekends or nights. By aligning police presence and resources with these patterns, cities can further improve safety.

“Crime tends to be concentrated among a small group of persistent offenders and in select neighborhoods,” he said.

He underscored the importance of targeted policing strategies and community-based interventions to address crime hotspots.

Help From Sacramento

In a 2024 MoneyGeek analysis, San Diego was listed as the nation’s sixth-safest large city.

The San Diego Police Department employs proactive strategies and advanced investigative tools to prevent crime and hold offenders accountable. In 2023, San Diego saw a 2.7 percent overall decrease in crime, with significant drops in murders (13.5 percent) and sexual assaults (16.2 percent).

Summer Stephan, San Diego County district attorney, has been a prominent figure in keeping the region safe.

As president of the National District Attorneys Association, Stephan said she values fairness. “I believe that our justice system has to be balanced and has to protect the rights of the accused with all our hearts and with every fiber that the Constitution provides, but also the rights of victims,” she said.

Stephan said it’s challenging for San Diego to maintain safe neighborhoods while being so close to the Mexican border and its illegal immigration issues.

The city has taken steps to address organized retail crime and drug sales. Mayor Todd Gloria has supported state bills that aim to crack down on retail theft. The legislative packages include measures that create new felonies for retail theft, allow for the aggregation of thefts across different incidents, and authorize courts to impose retail crime-related restraining orders.

“These bill packages give communities like San Diego additional tools to take on organized retail theft and address the scourge of illicit fentanyl,” Gloria said in a statement.

Backing the Blue

Some cities that reduced police funding experienced increased crime, particularly violent crime. For example, the FBI reported a 30 percent increase in murder rates in 2020, a year when the defunding movement was being fueled by George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.

The movement has hurt officer morale, with many officers questioning their roles and the future of policing. However, when local police departments foster strong community support, officer morale tends to be higher and less affected by national trends. Good morale typically translates to safer communities.

Like Stehr, Mayor Matthew Porter of Wylie, Texas, emphasizes public safety as a cornerstone of his leadership and vision for the city. Wylie, a suburb of Dallas-Fort Worth, earned the No. 2 spot on Fortune Well’s list of the 25 best places to live for families. Porter said Wylie has moved in the opposite direction from the defunding movement.

“This past year, we made the most significant investment in the city’s history in law enforcement,” Porter said. “If you want to attract great individuals, you have to provide better than average resources.”

The Wylie Police Department hosts POLICE Clubs at two local high schools. These clubs are designed to engage students in leadership and community service while providing insight into law enforcement. The club, whose name stands for Practice of Leadership, Integrity, and Character Education, aims to build better student leaders by emphasizing character development.

According to the leaders of both Zionsville and Wylie, the visible presence of police officers in communities is believed to deter crime. The police visibility concept is based on the idea that potential offenders are less likely to commit crimes if they perceive a high likelihood of being caught and prosecuted.

“We have people working hard and holding people accountable for what they do,” Stehr said. “We follow the letter of the law. It’s not about giving people a break but ensuring an orderly community. I believe in municipal government—it’s all about public safety—everything flows from there.”

As a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Charles Fain Lehman focuses on evidence-based policy solutions and applauds communities like Zionsville and Wylie.

“Criminals need to know the punishment they can expect,” Lehman said. “When officers believe they have the backing of their government, they are more motivated and committed to their roles, which positively impacts their performance and community relations.”