RCPD director says crime rates continue to decline in 2024

Property and violent crime have dropped in Riley County so far this year, but police officials want to see it continue to decrease

Riley County Police Department director Brian Peete on Thursday told the county commission that property crime is down 11% from the five-year average, while violent crime is down 10%.

“We are an extraordinarily safe community, but just because we’re safe, we just don’t stay satisfied with the numbers that we’re dealing with,” Peete said. “I won’t be satisfied until we’re down to zero with everything we can, so when we have that opportunity to decrease crime, we do that.”

Riley County’s property and violent crime rates also decreased in 2023.

Peete said the police department has been working on crime-prevention initiatives, especially in the Aggieville area. Those include installing security cameras and keeping police officers on the scene, especially during Aggieville’s busiest nights.

RCPD has boosted its crime-prevention strategy in cooperation with the Aggieville Business Association.

“We will be out there, once again, giving safety and security, giving folks a very good feeling that we’re here,” Peete said. “We’re here to make sure folks are having fun, enjoying themselves, and they have nothing to worry about.”

Peete said the move came in response to safety concerns in Aggieville some people have expressed in the past few years.

“As school starts up, we’ll have officers on the scene,” Peete said. “That includes officers that are in plain clothes and who are just in and around the area keeping an eye on folks, keeping things safe.”

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation earlier this week reported that both property and violent crimes had decreased across the state from 2022 to 2023.