ISP report: Local crime stats rose in '10

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Following a noticeable drop in criminal activity the previous year, communities across Elmore County saw a 12 percent increase in crime in 2010, according to an annual report released by the Idaho State Police.

The county had 1,295 reported offenses during the 12-month period with nearly 1,100 of those crimes occurring within the city of Mountain Home.

However, taking the city's figures out of these overall statistics indicates that the county's annual crime rate actually fell by more than 20 percent in 2010.

While the total crimes committed last year remained lower than those reported in 2007 and 2008, arrest rates across the county hit a five-year high. According to the state police report, law officers arrested 689 people, including 105 juveniles, in 2010.

Mountain Home accounted for 573 of those arrests.

Larceny topped the list of crimes committed over the past year in Elmore County with 37 people arrested in connection with many of these thefts. Other offenses at the top of the list included 277 cases of vandalism and 258 assaults along with 65 additional aggravated assault cases.

Vandalism remains one of the toughest crimes to solve in places like Elmore County since there are usually no witnesses, said Capt. Bob Peace with the county sheriff's department.

Within Mountain Home, larceny cases actually fell slightly compared to 2009 numbers while fraud dropped by nearly half, the state police reported.

However, arrests involving those driving under the influence within Mountain Home jumped by nearly 44 percent last year while vandalism inside the city limits climbed by 25 percent. In addition, reports of simple assault in the city climbed by nearly 37 percent in 2010 while aggravated assault cases rose by 42 percent.

Despite the increase in reported crimes, Elmore County's 2010 statistics were lower overall, based on a five-year average. The county's crime figures during this time peaked in 2008 with 1,453 cases that led to 611 arrests.

It's hard to pinpoint what led to the county's lower crime rate, said Sheriff Rick Layher. However, the county's latest statistics follow several high-profile arrests over the past two years involving individuals manufacturing, distributing or using methamphetamine.

"A lot of crimes are tied to meth" with users and dealers resorting to burglary, theft and fraud to support their drug habit, the sheriff said. He remained cautious about directly tying those arrests to the lower crime rates.

Meanwhile, Mountain Home's higher arrest figures don't reflect an increase in actual crime, said Police Lt. Julee Bunderson, interim police chief. Instead, they illustrate the department's efforts to serve warrants on those wanted in connection with various crimes.

"Our officers are doing a lot of good work and making good things happen," she said. Their commitment to serving this community continues to make Mountain Home a great city to raise children and an extremely safe place to live.

For example, last year's DUI arrests highlight that "we have some really good officers out there looking (for drunken drivers) and keeping our streets safe," the lieutenant said.

Mountain Home's best year, in terms of total crimes over the past decade, happened in 2006 when the city finished the year with 876 reported offenses. On average, the city deals with about 1,050 crimes per year.

Layher credited his department's increased presence in communities across the county as a way to deter criminal activity. In 2010, he added a deputy and additional reservists to his law enforcement team while the sheriff's Citizens on Patrol organization added more people to its all-volunteer force.

"We were shorthanded for a long time," the sheriff said. Having those extra officers and volunteers gives his department added flexibility to provide needed coverage.

However, the sheriff emphasized that public involvement remains the best tool to fighting crime.

"Our citizens are more attentive to themselves and their neighbors and watch out for one another" and call 911 when they see suspicious people or activity, Layher said.

Bunderson also credited local residents for doing their part to prevent crimes by locking up their cars and homes to discourage and prevent break-ins as well as reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

Statewide, most crime statistics showed downward trends with serious offenses down by 1.6 percent last year. Violent crime fell by nearly 11 percent overall with 3,248 reported cases in Idaho.

In addition, crimes against persons, hate crimes and property crimes within the state all fell compared to 2009 figures while crimes against society were up by more than 7 percent.

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