Sheriff Swank will extend his availability to residents into this weekend, and with particular convenience for those of Parkland and Spanaway.
Date: June 20, 2026
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County Library
Address:
13718 Pacific Ave S
Tacoma, WA 98444
Residents are invited to share crime investigation leads and other public safety concerns to assist Sheriff Swank catch the bad guys.
Commendations also will be welcome! Such as were received after our apprehension of a mail thief in May. (The 29% down trend in “Mail Theft” may be attributed to removal of that very individual from our streets!)
Sure, there were a few points of slippage, but, on balance, more good news than bad!
Yes, the need for collective protection under our constitutions, state law and county/city ordinance will persist until The Golden Rule is adopted by all.
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12)
Until then legislators and peace officers will stay busy! The “good news” is that reward from improved funding for more deputies, equipment and facilities is showing up in our May-ending crime [trend] analysis. (That is, the number of crime reports written by deputies from January-May (inclusive) 2026, compared against an average from that same “January-May” period across each of the previous five years.]
· Central Patrol/South Hill (Districts 1-7):
o Aggravated Assault is down 9% below normal level YTD.
o Rape is up 23% above normal levels YTD.
o Armed Robbery is down 40% below normal levels YTD.
o Strongarm Robbery is 26% below normal levels YTD.
o Non-Residential Burglary is at 57% below normal levels YTD.
o Residential Burglary is at 33% below normal levels YTD.
o Murder is at normal levels YTD.
o Motor Vehicle Theft remains at 49% below normal levels YTD.
o Mail Thefts remain down 29% YTD.
o Vehicle Prowls are 46% below normal levels YTD.
o Theft of Gas or Fuel are up 34% above normal levels YTD.
o Shoplifting is up 2% above normal levels YTD.
o Vandalism is down 26% below normal levels YTD.
o Sex Crimes – Indecent Liberties is now up 4% YTD from what we would normally expect.
o Sex Crimes – Other is now up 28% YTD from what we would normally expect.
o Sex Crimes – Exposure is now down 50% YTD from what we would normally expect.
o Rape is up 23% YTD from what we would normally expect.
The gratifying decline in Burglary is likely due to the increased staffing through the Proactive Property Crimes Unit funded and stood up in 2015. From Central Patrol region the YTD-May reports written for Burglary numbered 188, down from 279 in the same period of 2025.
Trending in a bad direction was Theft of Gas or Fuel, but numbering a mere 10. More concerning was a report of Rape numbering 50. (32 in 2025, 31 in 2024, 40 in 2023) Although investigations are ongoing for many of those 50, so far only one has developed sufficient evidence to warrant prosecution. Of the 33 reports of the Forceable Rape-Strong Arm subset only 4 identified a suspect and resulted in arrest; only 1 of those generated a charge by the prosecutor.
If you might choose to zoom in closer to a constituent’s home address, them please take advantage of the CommunityCrimeMap.com
Residents simply must not succumb to accepting unacceptable public safety conditions!
Whether this Saturday or ANY day, Sheriff Swank wants to learn from and serve you!
Pierce Prairie Post 