Scottsdale builds on declining crime trends with proposed Old Town safety measures

Scottsdale Police Chief Joe LeDuc outlined potential safety enhancements for Old Town’s entertainment district Wednesday, building on a substantial decline in violent crime and one of the lowest homicide rates among major Valley cities.

The update to the Council Committee on Community Safety followed recent shootings in the district, including a Sept. 6 shooting that killed one person and injured another. City officials emphasized that the incidents require a strong response but should be considered within Scottsdale’s broader public safety picture.

“Crime prevention can be difficult to measure, but one way to gauge our success is by comparing Scottsdale’s crime statistics with those of similar communities,” City Manager Greg Caton said. “Those comparisons show that Scottsdale experiences far less violence. Our gun suppression details and other specialized operations are also preventing criminal activity. The results are more than numbers. They represent people who did not become victims. We are relentless in our efforts to prevent crime and to apprehend those responsible when it occurs.”

Scottsdale recorded no homicides during the first eight-plus months of 2026 before the Sept. 5 shooting. In 2025, the city recorded seven homicides, or 2.9 per 100,000 residents. That rate was lower than the rates in Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale, Gilbert and Mesa, according to Arizona Department of Public Safety crime data and U.S. Census Bureau population estimates.

Old Town violent-crime-related calls for service declined every full year from 2021 through 2025, falling from 468 to 234, a 50% reduction. Police reports in the same dataset declined 44%, from 433 to 242.

Through Sept. 8, police recorded 218 violent-crime-related calls for service and 165 reports in Old Town in 2026. Because those figures cover only part of the year, they cannot be directly compared with previous full-year totals.

Gun-related incidents also declined from 41 in 2021 to 20 in 2025. Seventeen had been recorded through Sept. 8 this year. Assault-related activity declined from 404 incidents in 2021 to 202 in 2025, with 193 recorded through Sept. 8.

Police attribute the long-term reduction to targeted deployments, a visible police presence, community outreach and technology such as automated license plate readers and the Real Time Crime Center.

The entertainment district draws approximately 15,000 to 20,000 people on a typical Friday or Saturday night. Scottsdale Police deploys about 38 personnel in and around Old Town on weekends through 2:30 a.m., including patrol officers and members of the Bike, Neighborhood Response, K9, DUI and Street Crimes units. Major holidays and special events can bring more than 30 additional officers to the area.

“Our officers are working in one of the city’s busiest and most demanding environments, and their work is making a difference,” Police Chief Joe LeDuc said. “Our deployment model, visible police presence and technology help us identify threats and apprehend dangerous offenders. We will continue that work while looking for additional ways to prevent violence before it occurs.”

That staffing contributed to the rapid response Sept. 5. Bike Unit officers were nearby and responded immediately. They pursued the suspected shooter, took him into custody and recovered a discarded firearm.

From July through early September, targeted downtown enforcement operations resulted in the recovery of 16 firearms, more than 30 arrests and more than 100 traffic stops. The arrests involved prohibited possessors, gang members and people suspected of narcotics trafficking, impaired driving and other offenses.

Scottsdale Police also maintains a Bike Officer liaison for each club, conducts regular Bar and Hotel Summits and works with nightlife businesses on training and compliance with the city’s Public Safety Plan ordinance.

LeDuc presented several potential measures focused on preventing violence and increasing shared responsibility for downtown safety:

• Establish clearer security staffing expectations for high-volume venues and peak periods.
• Improve venue employee training on safety awareness, de-escalation, reporting and coordination with police.
• Improve lighting and camera coverage around entrances, exits, patios, alleys, sidewalks and queue lines.
• Strengthen crowd and queue management while preserving access for emergency responders.
• Add temporary or permanent lighting in high-density pedestrian areas and other identified locations.
• Expand camera coverage where gaps remain.
• Consider enforceable noise standards to help officers communicate and recognize critical events, including gunfire.
• Increase coordinated weekend-night support from Solid Waste, Transportation and Streets, Code Enforcement and other city departments.
• Continue and expand gun- and crime-suppression operations during peak nightlife hours.

Police plan to discuss the recommendations with nightlife and hospitality businesses during a combined Bar and Hotel Summit in October.

The Council Committee on Community Safety is chaired by Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas and includes Councilman Adam Kwasman and Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield. The Sept. 16 meeting also included updates on wildfire readiness and a potential ordinance addressing misuse of Fire Department resources for nonemergency patient transfers.