Crime drops in Nez Perce County

Criminal offenses were down about 9 percent and arrests were down about 25 percent in Nez Perce County in 2019 compared to 2018, according to the Idaho State Police 2019 Crime Report, released Monday by the agency.

The report is a synopsis of statewide crime statistics gathered from law enforcement agencies across the state and includes stats in the categories of crimes against persons, property and society and arrest profiles.

Criminal offenses handled by the Lewiston Police Department were down about 10 percent in 2019, compared to 2018. Lewiston police cleared 810 offenses while it handled 2,021 in 2019 for a clearance rate of about 40 percent.

Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office handled 386 offenses and cleared 278 of them for a clearance rate of about 72 percent.

There were fewer criminal offenses and arrests reported in ’19 than any other year since ’15, the report said. Lewiston police handled the second-fewest criminal offenses and arrests in ’19 over the five-year period that began in 2015. Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office handled the second-highest amount of offenses at 386 over the five-year period. Last year was the second-lowest amount of arrests made by the county agency since 2015.

Theft offenses were by far the most common criminal offense, with 828 reported in 2019. There were 146 arrests made in 140 cleared theft cases in the county.

Destruction of property offenses came in second with 297 offenses in the county. Law enforcement made 45 arrests and cleared 59 cases.

Drug violations were the third-highest criminal offense committed in the county last year with 284. Law enforcement cleared 270 drug offenses and made 268 arrests.

Simple assaults were the fourth-most common criminal offense committed, with 281. Law enforcement cleared 231 simple assault cases and made 204 arrests, according to the report.

Drug equipment violations were the fifth-most common criminal offense committed, with 255 reported. Law enforcement cleared 244 cases and made 97 drug equipment violation arrests, the report said.

There were 186 DUI arrests in the county in 2019, the report said.

No murders or negligent manslaughter offenses were reported in the county in 2019. There were 13 rapes reported with eight being cleared by law enforcement and five rape arrests made, the report said.

There were 1,888 arrests made in Nez Perce County last year. Lewiston police made 1,192 of those arrests while the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office accounted for 696, according to the report.

“I think it’s hard to point to any one thing and say it specifically is what causes these numbers to go up or go down, there are lots of factors at play,” Nez Perce County Prosecutor Justin Coleman said. “That being said, how cases are handled from law enforcement investigation up through prosecution can be a factor and would contribute to decreasing rates.

“I’m proud of the standards we have implemented in this office and the work that my prosecutors and staff do and I think it’s important to thank our law enforcement partners for the work they do every day, they clearly are doing a good job at keeping our communities safe,” Coleman said.

Lewiston Police Chief Budd Hurd and Nez Perce County Sheriff Joe Rodriguez did not respond to requests to comment on the report.

Criminal offenses and arrest were down in both Clearwater and Idaho counties in 2019 while Lewis County saw a significant rise in both (121 offenses and 33 arrests in 2019, compared to 74 offenses and nine arrests in 2018). In Latah County, offenses were at their lowest number since 2015.

The 2019 Crime in Idaho Report can be found at nibrs.isp.idaho.gov/CrimeInIdaho.

Wells may be contacted at mwells@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2275.