Focus on exhibition driving, speeding in Sioux Falls paying dividends

Homicides are up but most of them involve people who knew each other

Sioux Falls is on pace to record another record year for homicides, but overall violent crime remains flat, including a big drop in assaults.

Law enforcement officials and Mayor Paul TenHaken unveiled semi-annual crime statistics Tuesday, showing large reductions in stolen vehicles, as well as a major effort to target street crime.

TenHaken said local law enforcement had worked closely with the Highway Patrol on saturation patrols to reduce exhibition driving and speeding. That effort has resulted in the issuance of 1,413 citations, nearly double the same amount that had been issued at the same point last year.