Crime trending down in Othello, Ritzville
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 1 month AGO
Othello Police Chief Dave Rehaume, left and Assistant Chief Aaron Garza, right, hang the department’s most recent accreditation plaque. In most categories crime in Othello and Ritzville is going down.
FILE PHOTO
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | July 17, 2024 12:05 AM
OTHELLO — With a few exceptions crime in Othello and Ritzville is following the statewide trends — crime rates are going down. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs released its 2023 report last week, which included data for most cities statewide, including both Adams County cities.
While most categories of crime decreased, some didn’t — the number of reported aggravated assaults in Othello rose from five in 2022 to 14 in 2023. One involved a domestic violence case.
Two rapes were reported in Ritzville, up from one reported in 2022. The number of reported rapes in Othello stayed the same at seven each year.
The number of burglaries in Ritzville increased from five in 2022 to 31 in 2023, and simple assault cases increased to 19, up from 15 in 2022. Burglaries also increased in Othello, from 25 in 2022 to 28 in 2023. There were three reports of embezzlement in Ritzville in 2023; there were none in 2022.
Othello also experienced an increase in violations of no-contact or protection orders, from 15 to 33 in 2023. Of those, 12 involved domestic violence cases. Ritzville too saw an increase in no-contact order violations, five in 2023 compared to two in 2022. All five involved domestic violence cases.
Fraud cases increased slightly in Othello, from 16 to 18 in 2023.
Reported offenses dropped in most categories. Intimidation cases in Othello dropped from 20 in 2022 to 11. Car thefts in Othello dropped from 44 to 27 between 2022 and 2023; counterfeiting cases dropped from six in 2022 to one in 2023.
Simple assault cases in Othello dropped slightly, from 108 in 2022 to 103. Of the reported cases, 66 involved domestic violence.
The Othello PD emphasizes combating prostitution, and the number of cases dropped slightly, from 16 in 2022 to 13 in 2023. Drug violations dropped in Othello in 2023, to 14 compared to 25 in 2022.
Othello had no murder, manslaughter, arson, extortion or kidnapping cases in 2023. Ritzville too reported no murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, extortion or arson cases in 2023.
Reports of aggravated assaults stayed the same in Ritzville, two each year. Intimidation cases dropped from 10 in 2022 to four in 2023. Larceny or theft reports dropped by almost half, from 88 to 48 in 2023.
Reports of vehicle thefts stayed the same in Ritzville over the two years, with five each year.
There were 45 reported DUI arrests in Othello in 2023, and none in Ritzville.
Othello/Ritzville crime trends:
Othello 2022-23
Murder 0-0
Rape 7-7
Arson 1-0
Aggravated assault 5-14
Simple Assault 108-103
Robbery 1-1
Burglary 25-28
Vehicle theft 44-27
Rtizville 2022-23
Murder 0-0
Rape 1-2
Arson 0-0
Aggravated assault 2-2
Simple Assault 15-19
Robbery 0-1
Burglary 5-31
Vehicle theft 5-5
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
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