Crime still down as year draws to a close

Baring any major holiday crime spree the Cheney Police Department should end 2013 with at least a 20 percent overall reduction in reportable criminal activity over 2012 numbers.

While the rate of decline has slowed in some of the 11 reportable offense categories, and the overall level has risen since a low of 28.8 percent decrease at the end of June, overall crime in the city is still 20.75 percent lower than last year, according to statistics in the department’s November Monthly Activity Report. Department officials have cited numerous measures taken over the past year and a half as reasons f...