(The Center Square) – The Tacoma Police Department is focusing on a recent series of pride flag thefts occurring throughout the city as the overall crime rate is down in the city.
According to Tacoma Police Officer Shelbie Boyd, there were nine incidents of stolen pride flags in the city on the weekend of June 9, largely in the Proctor District, which is located in the city’s north end.
“The Tacoma Police Department stands with and has a deep commitment to our LGBTQIA+ community and all communities that are victims of hate,” the Tacoma Police Department said in a statement. “Hate has no place in the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma Police Department will do their best to ensure these perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Overall crime in Tacoma is down year-to-date as of June 4, according to Tacoma Police Department statistics. There were 12,340 cases of crime through June 4, 2023. That is a 21.5% decrease from 2022, with 15,714 cases. Notably, there has been a 21% increase in reported stolen property from May 8 through June 4, in comparison to the same time-span in 2022.
The Proctor District is located in Tacoma Police Department section two, where overall crime is down 11.2% year-to-date. However, six homicides have occurred within that time, compared to one in 2022.
Tacoma’s allocated funds for the police department increased by $36 million to $216 million in the 2023-2024 budget.
The Tacoma Police Department has a hate crime lieutenant and a detective that are assigned to any and all hate crimes in the city, according to Boyd.
Boyd told The Center Square in an email that the detective made contact with all victims involved in the nine cases. Tacoma police will partner with the Rainbow Center to provide support services to victims of the theft.
This article First appeared in the center square