COEUR d’ALENE — Reported crime decreased statewide in 2023, according to the Idaho State Police uniform crime report published this week, though Kootenai County saw a slight increase. 

Kootenai County saw a 4.6% increase in crime in 2023, according to ISP’s data, with 7,844 offenses reported in total. The rate of reported offenses has varied over the past five years, from a high of 7,984 in 2019 to a low of 6,022 in 2020. 

Crimes against society, which include crimes involving drugs, weapons and gambling, were the most frequently reported, with 3,165 reported in total. These include 1,562 drug/narcotic violations and 1,460 “drug equipment” violations, as well as 117 weapons law offenses and 23 reported cases of animal cruelty. 

The next largest group of reported offenses was crimes against property. These include 1,337 reported cases of larceny or theft, 720 reported cases of destruction of property and 118 cases of motor vehicle theft. Kootenai County saw 14 reported robberies in 2023 and 219 reported cases of breaking and entering or burglary. 

A total of 1,888 crimes against persons were reported in Kootenai County last year, including three murders, 61 rapes and seven “statutory” rapes. The most frequently reported crime in this category was simple assault, with 1,225 cases, followed by 273 cases of aggravated assault. There were no reported cases of human trafficking in Kootenai County last year. 

The county saw 666 reported DUI cases in 2023, seven of them involving juvenile drivers, as well as 211 cases of disorderly conduct, 137 liquor law violations and 125 nonviolent family offenses. 

Police arrested 6,979 people in Kootenai County last year, an increase of 7.6% over the previous year, including 900 juveniles. The county’s arrest rate is 3,727 per 100,000 population. 

Within the last five years, the total number of arrests was highest in 2019, with 7,776 arrests occurring. That number dropped to 5,034 in 2020 and has increased each year since. 

Statewide, a total of 75,639 offenses were reported in 2023, a 4.6% decrease over the previous year. Crimes against society made up the bulk of these offenses, including 14,067 drug/narcotic violations and 12,524 drug equipment offenses. There were 103 reported cases of animal cruelty statewide, resulting in 48 arrests. 

Most reported crimes against property were larceny or theft offenses, 11,762 in total, followed by 5,959 destruction of property cases and 5,110 cases of fraud. There were 1,529 reported cases of motor vehicle theft in Idaho. 

Simple assault cases were the most frequently reported crime against persons, with 11,086 occurring statewide last year, followed by 3,463 reported cases of aggravated assault. 

There were 43 reported murders throughout the state — a number that equates to one murder occurring every 8.5 days, according to ISP — as well as 594 rapes and 40 statutory rapes. ISP estimates that rape occurs every 14.7 hours in Idaho.

Idaho saw 17 reported cases of human trafficking, including 14 cases involving commercial sex acts and three cases of “involuntary servitude.” 

Police arrested 51,746 people in Idaho last year, an increase of 353 over 2022, among them 5,439 juveniles. The statewide arrest rate is 2,644 per 100,000 population.