By Staff Reporter |

In a departure from the “soft on crime” approach, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero announced she will allow law enforcement to address crime.

Romero called the city’s approach the “Safe City Initiative.” The mayor announced the initiative on Sunday following months of community outcry over the ever-worsening levels of homelessness and crime in the city. 

Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar said felony arrests increased by 50 percent and misdemeanor arrests increased by 100 percent over the last five years. Kasmar told KGUN9 that fentanyl’s rise is largely to blame; per the chief, 80 percent of addicts on the streets will refuse treatment because they know there are no consequences for breaking the law. 

“It’s the reality that they know, if they only get caught with a lower level of possession, that they’re likely to have those charges dismissed during initial appearance, and they think, well, I’ll just be out. I’ll just be out in six or eight hours,” said Kasmar. “It’s not a big deal [to them].”

One Tucson native since 1999 described it this way in a Reddit post last November:

“The nightly shootings, open drug use and dealing, street prostitution, and gang activity is unlike anything I’ve seen here,” said the user. “It used to be the case that there were a half dozen bad intersections. Now it seems like every intersection is bad. Half of the bus stops have people slumped over or doing drugs. It feels like Gotham in a Batman movie.”

When a Tucson resident pointed out the Tucson Police Department’s reported crimes data site shows a slight decline in recent years, another native pointed out that Tucson residents don’t see the point in reporting the crimes anymore.

“Have you tried to report a crime lately? No officer shows up except for certain felony crimes. You have to make an online report that may as well be routed to some computer’s trash bin,” said the native. “Crime is ‘declining’ because people no longer see the point in reporting it, much like the declining unemployment rate that resulted because people simply stopped looking for work. An opinion column isn’t necessarily the best unbiased source for this info.”

The council may also pass an ordinance making drug possession a misdemeanor in order to work around the unwillingness of the Superior Court to prosecute drug offenses, even though those are felony offenses. With such an ordinance, the city could prosecute drug cases in the Municipal Court. 

“Everyone deserves to be safe — in your neighborhood, at work, and in our public spaces,” said Romero. “We hear your current concerns about safety in our community loud and clear, and we share them. That is why we are launching the Safe City Initiative.”

As a precursor to the initiative, Romero defended the many social services aimed at the homeless population including the “low barrier” shelters, Violence Interruption Vitalization Action, Community Safety Health and Wellness, and Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Teams. And yet, Romero said these many services don’t stymie the major source of crimes: the homeless individuals with mental illnesses and/or drug addiction.

Romero said the city would continue investment in those programs. Additional investing will come from the opioid settlement funds to establish a Sobering Alternative Facility for Recovery Center, said Romero.

The Safe City Initiative will create a task force under the city manager, Tim Thomure, to help shape ordinances and policies that combine law enforcement action and drug addiction treatment. It will also increase police presence on public transit and in other high-crime areas, and social service outreach presence in areas with high levels of homelessness. 

The mayor alluded to seeking greater state and regional funding and establishing more partnerships for treatments of mental and behavioral illness, and substance abuse. 

The initiative also promises to expand the sessions offered by Community Court, which provides diversion programs for criminals dealing with mental illness and/or drug addictions. 

Last week, the Tucson Police Department deployed officers to clear out a major homeless encampment.

Romero, first elected in 2019 and reelected in 2023, is coming up on the last leg of her second term, which ends in December 2027. The mayor may serve three consecutive four-year terms before being termed out.

AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.