▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁higher ▁than ▁the ▁Washington ▁state ▁average ▁of ▁ 3 8 . 3 ; ▁the ▁violent ▁crime ▁rate ▁of ▁ 3 . 8 ▁and ▁property ▁crime ▁rate ▁of ▁ 6 1 ▁also ▁exceed ▁the ▁state wide ▁aver ages ▁of ▁ 2 . 5 ▁and ▁ 3 5 . 8 , ▁respectively . ▁Ne igh bor hood Sc out ▁describes ▁Sp ok ane ▁as ▁" Sa fer ▁than ▁ 1 % ▁of ▁U . S . ▁C ities ". ▁ ▁Half ▁of ▁all ▁property ▁cr imes ▁are ▁local ized ▁in ▁about ▁ 6 . 5 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁Sp ok ane ▁had ▁the ▁fourth - high est ▁rate ▁of ▁auto ▁the ft ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁In sur ance ▁Crime ▁Bureau . ▁Drive - by ▁shoot ings ▁and ▁drug ▁use , ▁particularly ▁crack ▁c oca ine ▁use , ▁became ▁worse ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁and ▁four ▁drive - by ▁shoot ings ▁were ▁recorded ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁alone . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁Police ▁Department ▁( SP D ) ▁established ▁a ▁special ▁gang ▁unit , ▁with ▁an ▁officer ▁" collect ing ▁intelligence ▁on ▁gang ▁activity ▁and ▁dis sem in ating ▁it ▁to ▁street ▁officers ". ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁also ▁saw ▁Sp ok ane ' s