Valley gets mixed report on crime stats - Idaho Mountain Express and Guide

With DUIs topping the list, crime rates increased last year in Hailey and Ketchum, but decreased in Bellevue and Sun Valley, in a year when statewide crime flatlined and unincorporated Blaine County crime sharply rose.

According to the Idaho State Police’s “Crime in Idaho 2016” report, which aggregates crime statistics from agencies throughout the state, a total of 529 serious offenses were reported in Blaine County in 2016, a 5.8 percent increase from 2015, for a crime rate of 2.5 reports per 100 residents. The serious “Group A” offenses include murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, drug offenses, sex crimes, arson and theft.

Statewide, those offenses increased only 0.07 percent from 2015.

DUIs—included in a group of less-serious offenses—were the valley’s leading crime, with 135 adults and three juveniles arrested for DUI in 2016.

The Blaine County Sheriff’s Office recorded 149 total reported Group A offenses in 2016, a 26.3 percent increase over 2015, for a crime rate of about two reports per 100 residents.

The Sheriff’s Office reported 41 DUI arrests. Drug offenses accounted for 47 reports, and larceny, theft and burglary totaled 43 reports, collectively.

The Ketchum Police Department, administered by the Sheriff’s Office, reported 100 Group A offenses in 2016, an 8.7 percent increase compared to 2015, for a crime rate of 3.6 per 100 residents. The department reported 30 DUI arrests. Drug offenses accounted for 18 reports, and larceny, theft and burglary totaled 39 reports, collectively.

The Hailey Police Department recorded 194 total reported Group A offenses in 2016, a 2.6 percent increase over 2015, for a crime rate of about 2.4 per 100 residents. The department reported 43 DUI arrests. Drug offenses accounted for 46 reports, and larceny, theft and burglary totaled 41 reports, collectively. Hailey also recorded 50 assault reports.

But both Sun Valley and Bellevue reported drops in their crime rates in 2016.

The Sun Valley Police Department recorded 30 Group A offenses in 2016, a 21.1 percent decrease from 2015, for a crime rate of 2.1 reports per 100 residents. The agency recorded seven DUI arrests. Drug offenses accounted for nine reports, and larceny, theft and burglary totaled four reports, collectively.

The Bellevue Marshal’s Office recorded 56 Group A offenses in 2016, an 11.1 percent decrease from 2015, for a crime rate of 2.4 reports per 100,000 residents. The agency recorded 17 DUI arrests. Drug offenses accounted for 16 reports, and larceny, theft and burglary totaled 18 reports, collectively.

Statewide, the crime rate was 5 per 100 residents in 2016, a 0.07 percent increase from 2015. However, hate crimes increased 27.3 percent with 28 reported in 2016, and drug violations increased by 15.7 percent, totaling about 21,500 reports.

No Idaho law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2016, but assaults against officers increased 2.7 percent from 2015, totaling 338 assaults.

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