The City of Flagstaff is famed for its natural beauty, clear skies at night, and destinations like the Lowell Observatory. While Flagstaff remains a popular place to visit and raise a family, how safe is the city of 75,000? Some crimes are seeking an increase while others are trending downward. We’ll explore recent trends and explore what’s noteworthy about the Flagstaff crime rate.
Based on data from the City of Flagstaff, Part One Crimes are trending downward when compared to 2023. Part One Crimes are used to measure national trends and include serious crimes like:
Both violent crimes and property crimes reached a 13-month low in February 2024. Arson is seeing declines, with three cases reported in November, two in December, one in January, and none in February. The clearance rate for the six arson cases is 0%, meaning no one has been apprehended or charged for the crimes.
Homicide rates remain low, with zero murders reported in November, December, and January. One murder was reported in February. Sex offenses are seeing a very slight decline, with nine crimes reported in November, six in December, and seven in both January and February.
Aggravated assault rates have seen little change over the past five months. There were, respectively, nine, seven, ten, and eight assaults tied to weapon use in November, December, January, and February. Larceny/theft accounted for the highest number of crimes over the past few months. There were, respectively, 122, 139,103, and 78 cases of theft for each month between November and February.
A 13-month comparison of burglary rates between February 2023 and February 2024 found that automobile burglaries peaked in June and July 2023, when there were 14 thefts of property from a vehicle in each of those months. October 2023 saw the highest number of residential thefts, with nine home burglaries reported. When commercial, residential, and automobile burglaries are combined, February 2024 saw the lowest total number of burglaries in Flagstaff.
Arrests for driving while intoxicated are slightly trending down. Alcohol-related DUIs led to 41 arrests in October, 38 in November, 45 in December, 27 in January, and 47 in February. There were 11 DUI-related collisions in October, two in November, 10 in December, seven in January, and six in February. A 13-month comparison of traffic collision data found that February 2023 and February 2024 saw the highest total number of collisions, including fatal accidents, injury accidents, and non-injury accidents.
A five-year comparison of shoplifting data compiled by the city shows that March has the highest average number of shoplifting arrests every year. March of 2019 saw the highest number of shoplifting arrests of any month over the past five years. There were 117 arrests for shoplifting that year. This year, there were 49 shoplifting arrests in January and 36 in February. City data finds that 911 calls tend to drop in February but steadily rise before peaking in July and August of every year.
Crimegrade.org gives Flagstaff an overall crime grade of C-plus. This places Flagstaff with an effective grade of average. The website finds that 52% of cities are safer, while 48% of cities are less safe. The east side of Flagstaff is generally considered to be the safer part. The crime rate in Flagstaff is 59.84 per 1,000 residents, meaning that around 60 people out of 1,000 will experience some type of crime within a given year. More dangerous neighborhoods have a higher crime rate, while safer neighborhoods have a much lower crime rate than 59.83.
A: Flagstaff is safe to walk around as long as you take reasonable precautions. As with any city, different neighborhoods will have varying safety levels. If you go out at night, try not to walk alone and avoid unlit areas like parks and dark alleys. When possible, take a car or ridesharing transportation if you go out at night. Crime can occur at any time and any place, but you can reduce your chances of becoming a victim of a crime by taking preventative measures.
A: Flagstaff, Arizona, is a great place to live and work. The city has incredible natural beauty and many outdoor recreational activities. Buffalo Park is a popular place to run and hike. The economy in Flagstaff is strong, with many local government jobs available. Tourism is another important part of the local economy. Flagstaff has good public schools and many popular local restaurants and breweries.
A: The East Side of Flagstaff is considered to be the safest, and the South Side is considered to be the least safe. Downtown Flagstaff is relatively safe because there is a strong police presence throughout the urban core. Crime rates tend to rise at night, so it may be prudent to avoid neighborhoods known for having higher nighttime incidents. During the day, those pockets of the neighborhood may be relatively safe to visit.
A: Your chances of being robbed or assaulted at night are greater than during the day. Criminals often rely on the element of surprise when planning crimes, and this is easier under the cover of darkness. Arizona is famed for its beautiful night skies. If you do want to enjoy some late-night stargazing, do so in the company of a small group. If you are just walking about to get somewhere, stick to well-lit areas that are more heavily populated with late-night crowds.
Flagstaff is a beautiful and amazing city to visit or live in. There are plenty of jobs, and the outdoor recreational options are some of the finest in the country. If you live in the Flagstaff area and need legal representation, our lawyers practice criminal defense and personal injury law. We can also help you file your workers’ compensation claim.
Whatever your legal needs, you can rely on our experienced team of attorneys to protect your rights and help you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact our office today to schedule your consultation.