The Salisbury Police Department (SPD) is once again implementing Operation Santa Patrol – a strategic, crime reduction plan for targeted residential and commercial business areas during the holiday shopping period.
The City of Salisbury has historically experienced a significant increase in shoppers during the holiday season. The SPD Santa Patrol is designed to use a strategic plan of combining community partnerships, crime prevention technology, business groups, and SPD resources to prevent crime. The detail will cover major retail areas such as Klumac Road, Innes Street Market, and Downtown Salisbury, as well as residential areas where car break-ins are a concern.
Now in its fifth year, law enforcement saw a 15-20 percent decrease in larceny offenses compared to the same time frame of November and December in previous years.
“The Salisbury Police Department wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season,” said Police Chief Patrick “PJ” Smith. “Santa Patrol is one of our efforts to make Salisbury a great place to work, live, and shop by providing a safe and secure community with the help of the citizens we serve. We look forward to seeing everyone visit our city shopping areas and enjoy all we have to offer. Please feel free to engage and talk with officers as they work these areas.”
The detail features 12-hour shifts every day of the week, foot patrols, and plain clothes operations as needed.
For more information about SPD crime reduction strategies, visit salisburync.gov/Police or call (704) 638-5333.