SPOKANE, Wash. — One of the community’s main concerns with Spokane is safety, whether it be safety in their homes or safety downtown.
Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall said he has a two-year plan to make the Lilac City safe and secure.
“The community should be outraged,” Hall said. “Our children are dying at the hands of gun violence. We have to do something in conjunction, in partnership with our community.”
Chief Hall spoke about his plan Wednesday in the wake of the murder of 13-year-old Gavin Looper.
“Prior to this tragedy, SPD created its 2025-2026 strategic plan,” he said.
This 37-page plan has many strategies addressing big problems, including plans to lower gun violence and overall crime in the city.
“This was written months ago,” Hall said. “The number one priority in our strategic plan is reducing gun violence.”
SPD also wants to lower drug use and make officers more accessible.
“We know and recognize that law enforcement cannot solve this or any other social problem on our own,” said Hall. “We have to co-produce safety with the community. We have to walk hand-in-hand with our community.”
SPD said every year, officers are responding to more calls than the year before. From 2022 to 2023, SPD saw a 14% jump in calls, averaging around 295 a day.
While the calls go up, the number of officers remain the same. This plan looks to find better ways to keep you safe.
“How do we prioritize limited resources?” Hall asked.
Chief Hall plans to target how SPD patrols Spokane, using data to place officers in high crime areas before and after incidents happen. It also finds ways to build relationships and trust between officers and the community.
The chief’s plan says that when police have the community’s trust, they are more willing to help officers keep Spokane safe.
You can read the full strategic plan here.
