Public Safety

Statistics, by John Husing Ph.D

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Murrieta Public Safety

Murrieta is the safest major city in the Inland Empire. From 1995-2004, the city’s crime rate per 1,000 residents was down 25.3% according to the U.S. Department of Justice. In this period, the city had 704 more incidents (88.8%) during a time when its population soared by 48,743 or 145.1%. As a result, the already low violent crime rate dropped 37.8% in this period; the property crime rate was down 21.8%. Murrieta’s excellent public safety record is reflected in the fact that its 2005 crime rate of 18.2 incidents per 1,000 people was below every major city in the inland region. Fontana (27.4) and Rancho Cucamonga (29.2) were the next highest. Murrieta’s violent crime rate of 1.1 incidents per 1,000 people was just below the next lowest cities of Rancho Cucamonga (1.7) and Corona (1.9). Its property crime rate of 17.1 incidents per 1,000 residents was well below the next lowest: Fontana (22.4) and Rancho Cucamonga (27.5).

A Message from Police Chief Mark Wright

I hope that I can offer you some valuable information about the Murrieta Police Department and our community policing efforts. The Murrieta Police Department is committed to keeping Murrieta safe by providing proactive and dedicated public service. Our philosophy of "Working Together to keep Murrieta Safe" encourages a working partnership with our community in our efforts to enhance the quality of life in Murrieta.

Many of our programs are dedicated to working directly with the citizens of Murrieta. Our Crime Free Multi-housing, Neighborhood Watch, D.A.R.E., and Citizen Volunteer Programs are all interactive programs that encourage community participation, and provide direct community interaction with the police department in addition to the efforts of our patrolling officers, specialized details, and investigators. We are determined to provide community service and community safety. We are dedicated to protecting life and property, and we are dedicated to reducing crime through preventative intervention, and the apprehension and prosecution of all criminals. We hold the following values in the performance of our duties:

Human Life - We will protect human life as our highest priority
Integrity - We will do what is right without compromise
Accountability - We will accept responsibility for our actions
Loyalty - We will be responsible to our community and our duty
Fairness - We will treat everyone with dignity and respect in an equitable manner
Honesty - We will be friendly, forthright and truthful
Professionalism - We will serve this community with honor and pride
Law - We will uphold the law and respect the rights of every person

The Murrieta Police Department is committed to remaining an active member of this community and of maintaining public safety. We strive to use innovative ideas and every available resource in our continuous effort to prevent crime and improve the quality of life in this community.