Six months into 2023, there hasn’t been a homicide investigation in Sioux Falls.
And according to Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, besides aggravated assaults, almost all other crimes have seen decreases per capita halfway through the year. TenHaken said a data figure he constantly watches is the number of crimes committed per capita.
“Crime is often a byproduct of growth. We’ve had record growth over the last couple of years,” TenHaken said. “I am always happy to report, and the last couple years have been no exception, it’s very manageable. Our crime per capita numbers continue to stay pretty flat.”
TenHaken joined KELOLAND’s Tom Hanson for a 20-minute interview inside the KELOLAND Media Group studio for this week’s episode of Inside KELOLAND. In the four videos attached above, you can watch TenHaken share his thoughts on crime, potholes, streets, population growth and tourism.
Sioux Falls remains safe
TenHaken, who is in the middle of his sixth year as mayor of Sioux Falls, admitted the topic of crime is one his office spends the most time addressing.
“In my opinion, a safe community is the number one thing residents expect from the government,” TenHaken said. “If you see something, you see nefarious activity, you have someone that you know has been part of a crime, we need you to report that to law enforcement to help us solve cases and get bad guys off the streets.”
TenHaken said his office played a role in helping get a new law passed in South Dakota called “truth in sentencing.” TenHaken said that new law should help stop convicted criminals from getting out of prison earlier than they should.
“I’m not a lock him up and throw away the key guy, but you get a 10-year sentence for a violent aggravated assault, you need to serve some of that time and get rehabilitated,” TenHaken said, specifically pointing to a specific October 2022 homicide.
You can read the full article at Keloland News.