Author photo

By Lee Hughes
Staff reporter 

Medical Lake council receives crime report

Some bumps but overall, city stable

 

Last updated 12/12/2019 at 9:45am



MEDICAL LAKE — The City Council received an overview of city crime statistics from Spokane County Undersheriff Dave Ellis at its Dec. 3 council meeting.

“This should give you guys more information about what is going on in Medical Lake,” Ellis said.

A report, developed by the Sheriff’s Regional Intelligence Group 9, included a variety of year-over-year crime data, plus three-year averages.

The statistics included 14 different crimes against people, society and property.

In short, overall crime in Medical Lake is either steady or has decreased in most categories, according to the report.

During the past three years the city has experienced no homicides or negligent manslaughter, while there have been on average two rapes per year, including two so far this year.

“Both of those were unfounded,” Ellis said.

Aggravated assault was down 71 percent between 2018 and 2019-to-date with an average of six per year. Only two have been recorded so far this year.


Simple assault is also down “significantly,” Ellis said — with a year-over-year drop of 27 percent. While there have been 93 so far in 2019, the three-year average is 116. There were 127 last year.

Ellis noted that many of simple assault calls came from Eastern State Hospital.

In the property crime category, there has been one robbery this year versus none in 2019 with a three-year average of two per year.

Meanwhile, residential burglaries have remained flat at four this year and last, with an average of five per year. But garage burglaries were up with three this year compared to one in 2018. The average is one per year.


Commercial burglaries were also up, with three this year compared to one the year before, with a three-year average of two.

Theft was down by 28 percent at 31 so far in 2019.

Vehicle thefts were also down by one with an average of four annually, and malicious mischief — damage to property — was down by 24 percent.

The big spike that was “a little concerning,” Ellis said, was vehicle prowls. While the three-year average is six, thus far in 2019 there have been 21.

“I do have some good news on that: in the last week we have arrested two people on that,” Ellis said.

He noted that perpetrators could be arrested, but not necessarily held.

Ellis shared an anecdote of a person arrested and booked that morning at 5:45 a.m. — and released by the court at 7:15 a.m.

While those numbers may seem alarming to some, overall, Medical Lake is relatively quiet when compared to unincorporated Spokane County and the cities and towns the Sheriff’s Office patrols as a whole.

Of the 242 crimes against persons recorded in the county in October, 16 were in Medical Lake, and of those 14 were for simple assault and one for intimidation.

Medical Lake had six property crimes, compared to 1,076 countywide, along with one each drug and disorderly conduct violation.

All told, Medical Lake experienced 26 crimes in October compared to 1,563 that occurred throughout the county that includes Spokane Valley, who contracts with the Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement similar to Medical Lake.

Ellis said the county uses other data outlined in the report to make adjustments to its enforcement as needed.

The Sheriff’s Office is flexible, according to Ellis, and the City Council also has a voice in things such as traffic enforcement.

“If the council thinks there is a speeding problem and would like heavier enforcement, then we’d be happy to do that,” Ellis said.

Mayor Shirley Maike clarified that the statistics were call responses by Sheriff’s deputies and not convictions.

Ellis closed by noting the city is comparatively quiet in terms of crime.

“The good thing is that Medical Lake just generally doesn’t have much crime,” Ellis said, noting that crime in the city is relatively stable. “It’s a good community.”

Lee Hughes can be reached at lee@cheneyfreepress.com.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/06/2024 21:07