Maricopa Sees 1% Drop in Crime: Insights from the Police Chief

Maricopa Police Chief Mark Goodman delivered the department’s annual report to the city council last night, marking a significant moment as the police department approaches its 21st anniversary. The presentation highlighted rising total crime rates, attributed largely to the city’s rapidly growing population, which adds hundreds of residents each week.

Despite the overall increase in crime, Goodman provided a positive perspective: the city’s per capita crime rate has decreased by 1% since 2023. Although this reduction pales compared to last year’s impressive 10% drop from 2022, it remains a welcome development considering ongoing population growth.

The department responded to 33,477 calls for service over the past year, resulting in 2,280 arrests. This data underscores the challenges faced by the department, although specifics were sparse this year. Goodman emphasized a change in approach, opting for a focus on community engagement through visuals of local events, including photos of dogs, instead of charts and graphs.

Notable insights from the report indicate that parking issues and welfare checks were the most common reasons for calls. Additionally, officers conducted 2,440 traffic stops and issued 3,222 citations. Animal-related calls also remained significant, with the department responding to over 500 such incidents.

To contextualize the report, we examined statistics from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Total reported crimes in Maricopa reached 1,378 in 2024, marking a 5% increase from the previous year. However, the data reveals a 9% decrease in violent crimes, totaling 166 incidents, despite notable cases like the murder of 16-year-old Esteban Valenzuela in November.

Property crimes showed mixed trends; burglaries and motor vehicle thefts dropped significantly by 10% and 29%, respectively. Conversely, fraud and larceny incidents increased from 21% to 27%. Lastly, there were 93 reports of officers being assaulted, reflecting an 11% decline from 2023. Most of these assaults occurred between 6 p.m. and midnight during responses to disturbances.