Is this place really so safe?

Deseret Morning News editorial
Published: Monday, Oct. 30, 2006 9:53 p.m. MST
E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Congratulations to Orem, which came in 12th this week in a ranking of the safest cities in America. Such annual rankings can be hit-and-miss, with some cities ranking high one year and mysteriously falling away the next. But Orem has been consistently high on this one, published by Morgan Quitno Press.

But don't feel too safe. Few people along the Wasatch Front exist in only one city. Because of the fragmented nature of the metropolitan area — consisting of several small cities side by side from southern Utah County to Ogden — people often live in one city, work in another and shop in yet another.

That means all Utahns should be concerned that Salt Lake City finished 247 out of the 371 cities ranked, and that West Valley City finished 159 and Ogden 160. The ranking studied only cities with populations greater than 75,000, which means many cities along the Wasatch Front were not included.

For all the good feelings generated about Orem's family atmosphere and smart policing, it may just be that neighboring Provo's 79th place finish comes because it has a bigger industrial base and more defined downtown area.

A lot of Utahns may work in Salt Lake City even though they don't live there. That means that, for at least part of their day, they are exposed to an area with a relatively high crime rate. And, at any rate, Salt Lake City is the economic and cultural hub of the state, which means everyone should have an interest in its success.

Story continues below
A much more meaningful listing is the one published in the same report, which ranked metropolitan areas. In that one, the Salt Lake City area ranks 182nd out of 344. That's 20 places below New York City and 73 below Pittsburgh. The Ogden-Clearfield area is ranked 50, St. George is 47, Provo-Orem is 26. And the Logan area is the place that truly deserves kudos, coming in 9th.

Clearly, people along the Wasatch Front, especially in Salt Lake County, should be asking what can be done to make their neighborhoods safer. At the least, the people in Utah County, while still in a relatively crime-free area, should not feel totally safe.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.