Bismarck crime stays relatively flat in 2016 - Bismarck Tribune

The crime rate in Bismarck held relatively flat from 2015 to 2016 while calls for service jumped 7.5 percent, according to the annual crime and traffic analysis report from the Bismarck Police Department.

Crime against persons, which include murders, assaults and rapes, fell just .66 percent in 2015 from 1,206 to 1,198 reports.

There were two murders in 2016, of Misty Coffelt and Greg Comes, 142 reported aggravated assaults and 781 simple assaults, all of which were about the same as previous years.

According to the report, domestic violence remains a "primary factor" in the assaults, with 49 percent of aggravated assaults related to domestic violence and 44.9 percent of those involving alcohol.

Police saw a jump in reports of forcible rape, from 24 to 39. Bismarck Police Chief Dan Donlin indicated that may be a "double-edged sword," since it could be the result of better reporting by rape victims or more crimes committed.

Property crimes decreased 2 percent from 5,599 to 5,487 reports, though robberies, burglaries and car thefts all went up.

Most significantly, motor vehicle thefts rose 100 percent, with 309 cars stolen off the streets. In 2015, only 154 cars were stolen.

"I'm disappointed in the theft of motor vehicles," Donlin said. "That's a crime that very significantly can be avoided if people can lock their cars, remove their keys."

The number of prostitution arrests also decreased, but Donlin cautioned that may be because the department was unable to conduct stings, because officers were often playing catch-up during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.

Car crashes also stayed relatively the same from last year, with 3,789 crashed reported in 2016. The busiest month was, by far, December, when snow pummeled the city and crashes occurred at nearly 20 per day, which is double the average.

Meanwhile, calls for service increased 7.5 percent from 2015, rising above 40,000 for the first time.

This year, the department hired eight new police officers, who will allow the department to implement the "power shift," a 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift, which will help saturate the city with officers during peak crime times.

Donlin said the officers on this shift will help take reports and patrol certain areas where trends suggest crimes are likely to occur. He said these shifts will start when the officers finish training and new cars are bought this summer.

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