AUBURN, Wash. — Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus was joined by other city and school leaders on Tuesday to address the community’s concerns over crime and safety.
It was the first meeting in the second phase an outreach and engagement effort that began in late 2023.
According to the Auburn Police Department, crime was down overall from 2023 to 2024 and homicides were relatively flat. There were eight homicides in 2023 while the department investigated nine last year.
The city of approximately 84,000 people reported more than 1,000 combined robberies, felony assaults and burglaries.
“The community was up in arms about what was going on. There was a young man who had the first meeting, he generated the meeting on his own and invited us,” said Backus. “We said, ‘We’ll take it from here and take it over,’ to hear what are [their] concerns and solutions.”
According to a presentation from the mayor’s office, the community’s top concerns are gun violence, homelessness, theft, gang activity and drugs.
In the same presentation, the city listed a series of solutions, including reestablishing the neighborhood block watch, holding people accountable, surveillance and traffic cameras, more community resources and urging people to get to know their neighbors.
“I don’t think it’s enough. I don’t think they’re doing enough to deal wit homelessness, the drug abuse issue and violent crimes. The violent crimes are really scary,” said one woman, who declined to share her name with KING 5.
“I’ve been here 54 years and I’ve seen so many changes in Auburn. Some of them are very scary. My house has been broken into twice,” she said. “I have security cameras, motion sensor lights, my gates are padlocked shut and I still live behind locked doors because I’m afraid. I do not go out at night.”
Chief of Police Mark Caillier said the department is in the process of hiring 10 new officers.
The city, in conjunction with the Auburn School District, will hold additional meetings at the following locations:
