County sees slight drop in crime

SANDPOINT — Criminal offenses in Bonner County decreased in 2008, but arrests rose, according to statistics compiled by Idaho State Police.

Total offenses in Bonner County slipped from 2,265 in 2007 to 2,077 in 2008, a decrease of about 8 percent. Total arrests went from 2,339 to 2,439 during the same period, ISP’s “Crime in Idaho” report indicates.

Last year, vandalism accounted for the most frequent offense (342), followed by driving under the influence (332), simple assault (329) and narcotics (207), the report said.Total offenses in the Priest River Police Department’s jurisdiction climbed slightly from 118 in 2007 to 120 in 2008. Total arrests, however, rose sharply from 164 in 2007 to 211 in 2008. Total offenses in the city of Ponderay fell from 193 in 2007 to 174 in 2008, but arrests increased from 135 in 2007 to 166 in 2008.

The Sandpoint Police Department was the only agency in Bonner County where there were declines in both incidents and arrests from 2007 to 2008. There were 783 incidents in 2007, compared to 709 in 2008. Arrests went from 1,011 in 2007 to 924 in 2008.

Sandpoint Police Chief Mark Lockwood noted a 20-percent decrease in crimes against persons and a 12-percent decrease in property crimes. Vice crimes, meanwhile, rose 7 percent.

But Lockwood said an analysis of the department’s statistics for the first quarter of 2009 (January through March), are showing dramatic increases in crimes against persons, property and society.

“I would say that it’s economically based,” Lockwood said, referring to the sagging economy and the recession. “If this trend keeps up — and our busiest months are obviously July, August and September — we’re probably going to show an increase.”