Crime drops 14.9% in county

Boundary County experienced a 14.9 percent decline in criminal offenses from 2007 to 2008, according to Idaho State Police’s annual crime report.

At the same time, offenses investigated by Bonners Ferry Police fell by 42.9 percent, while the Boundary County Sheriff saw an increase of 16.4 percent offenses over 2007.

Bonners Ferry Police Chief Rick Alonzo attributes the city’s ongoing reduction in crime to “proactive policing.” The number of offenses reported in 2004 was 237, 2005 was 224, 2006 was 205, 2007 was 184 and 2008 was 105.

Of the 105 offenses in 2008, 79 were cleared and 202 arrests were made, of which 148 were adults

“We get out there and beat the bushes and we don’t wait for crime to happen,” Alonzo said. “The officers are out there making contacts with people, whether they look suspicious or not.”

Police also will stop motorists for breaking minor laws to make sure they’re not driving drunk or have drugs on board, he said.

Alonzo isn’t sure what to expect this year in the way of crime.

“It’s hard to tell,” he said. “A lot times when the economy is bad, people get desperate out there and steal to make ends meet. I think we’ll probably be status quo with last year.”

The top offense in the city in 2008 was drunken driving with 40 arrests.  Larceny, which includes theft, followed with 30 offenses, simple assault 18 incidents and incidents involving drugs 15.

There were no murders, one forcible rape, six burglaries and two aggravated assaults.

In the area patrolled by the sheriff’s department, there were 192 offenses in 2008, up from 165 in 2007 and 180 in 2006. Of the 192 offenses in 2008, 114 were cleared and there were 189 arrests, of which 136 were adults

The sheriff’s department reported more larceny offenses than anything else; there were 42..

“Larceny covers a broad group of crimes, anywhere from shoplifting to someone going into a garage and taking a bunch of stuff,” said chief deputy Rich Stephens.

The sheriff’s department 42 juvenile arrests in 2008, up from two in 2007.

“A large part of this has to do with probation and probation officers working with law enforcement.”