BEAUFORT, S.C. (May 20, 2024) – Safe Living Beaufort, an initiative which began in August 2023 to reduce crime in the City of Beaufort, has led to a significant decrease in reports of shots fired, assaults, drug offenses and weapons offenses, according to data from the Beaufort Police Department.
Interim Beaufort Police Chief Stephenie Price said the initiative began after a metadata analysis was conducted in June 2023 for “shots fired” incidents within the City of Beaufort. The analysis showed that many of the incidents were taking place around multifamily apartment complexes. Further, four out of five homicides in 2023 occurred in apartment complexes.
That led the department to begin its Safe Living initiative at Spanish Trace Apartments, an 88-unit complex on Southside Boulevard, last August. This comprehensive effort included a detailed incident data review analyzing years of data, an on-site risk terrain modeling assessment to determine environmental factors that contributed to crime -- such as poor lighting and obscured access routes -- collaboration with apartment managers and residents, and input from officers involved in investigations at Spanish Trace.
Department's goals
The department’s goal was to reduce crime and the number of calls for service by 10% in six months, and immediately increase the presence of officers at Spanish Trace, Price and Lt. Joe Dobbins said at a recent Neighborhood Association meeting at City Hall.
“We set up a sub-station at Spanish Trace,” Price said. “We assigned 1st Sgt. Sean Flomer as community liaison. We trained officers in multi-housing crime prevention. We held community meetings and asked for feedback from residents and their expectations of us.”
The department prioritized its goals and streamlined processes. All levels of the department conducted regular foot and vehicle patrols, often with K9 officers. Residents got to know the officers, which helped improve relations between residents and the Police Department.
The table below compares the monthly average of reports at Spanish Trace from March to August 2022 with April 2024. The number of officer-initiated calls went from 165 to 284, demonstrating the pro-active approach of officers. Calls for service went from an average of 46 to 0, shots fired from 5 to 0, assaults from 15 to 0, etc.
Category | March-Aug 2022 (Avg) | April 2024 | % Change |
Avg Officer Initiated/month | 165 | 284 | 72% |
Calls for Service/Major Crimes | 46 | 0 | -100% |
Shots Fired | 5 | 0 | -100% |
Assaults | 15 | 0 | -100% |
Drug Offenses | 3 | 0 | -100% |
Larceny | 1 | 1 | 0% |
Weapons Offenses | 4 | 0 | -100% |
“We successfully met our goals within the initial month, surpassing our expectations. As a result, we decided to expand this initiative to other complexes," Chief Price explained. "Drawing from the Spanish Trace model, we devised a strategy to implement this approach in additional communities. Through ongoing discussions with residents and officers, we tailored the plan to better meet the specific needs of each community.”
Expanding initiative
In November of 2023, the PD began Phase 2 at Cross Creek Apartments, with133 units, and in March 2024, Phase 3 began at Mossy Oaks Village, with 96 units. Phase 4 is scheduled to launch in July at the new Garden Oaks Apartments, with 288 units.
The initiative at each complex is overseen by its own first sergeant who manages operations according to the blueprint based on the Spanish Trace model, adjusting as necessary to suit the specific needs of each location.
Consolidated data from all three apartment complexes shows:
- 148% increase in patrols
- 93% decrease in calls for service
- 100% decrease in shots fired
- 87% decrease in assaults
- 100% decrease in weapons offenses
“Residents are more willing to talk to us when they see us regularly,” Dobbins said. “At a town hall meeting we just had at Mossy Oaks Village, a resident told me that ‘since you all started coming out here, I see children coming out to greet you.’”
“We are fostering connections and strengthening relationships to create a safer Beaufort for generations to come. It is our duty to guarantee that all residents can prosper and flourish without the threat of violence,” Price said.
Photo: Examples of PD community engagement at multifamily complexes.
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