OLYMPIA — In the 2024 Crime in Washington report, published by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs on Monday, a noticeable decline in crime rates across various categories was reported. Various police chiefs and Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete said trends found within the report were mostly reflected locally.  

“We are seeing a downward trend for the most part, there are more categories decreasing for the most part and so we are going to keep working and try our best to keep that trend going,” Moses Lake Police Chief Dave Sands said. “I think we have seen a rise in clearance rates among other agencies as well — which is fantastic.”   

Clearance rates reflect the number of cases that are not only opened but investigated and prosecuted, according to a definition published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Grant County  

Crime rates in Grant County have shown a notable decline over the past year, attributed to strategies implemented by the newly established Crime Reduction Team at the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Kriete said. The team's efforts have resulted in a 6.6% decrease in overall calls for service. 

Kriete discussed the team's impact, comparing data from 2023 and 2024 to the present. 

“Our calls for service have gone down by over 1,000 in 2025 so far, which equates to a significant drop of 6.6%,” he said. “This reflects our commitment to tackling mid-range crime, particularly those incidents that affect our rural, farming community.” 

The statistics revealed reductions in several crime categories. Notably, attempts at property theft have declined by 68%. Residential burglaries have decreased by 42%, and theft of gas — a common concern among farmers — has plummeted by 65%. Other decreases include a 45% reduction in property thefts from motor vehicles and a 25% drop in vehicle theft, while wire theft, an issue particularly detrimental to the agricultural sector, has decreased by 60%.  

“These numbers are critical for us, especially considering how theft can significantly impact the livelihood of our farmers,” Kriete said. 

The Crime Reduction Team, consisting of three officers with plans to expand to five, was established to address local crime issues.  

“They follow up on cases initiated by our patrol staff, collecting evidence and generating probable cause for search warrants, recovering stolen property, and pursuing charges against offenders,” Kriete said. 

In addition to proactive policing, Kriete said community input is vital in curbing crime.  

“One of the things we encourage is for citizens to report suspicious activities — whether it’s unusual vehicles or property that seems out of order,” he said. “The farming community has done a commendable job using social media to report thefts and suspicious behavior, but we need them to call us directly as well. Reporting allows us to respond effectively and take necessary action.” 

While the Crime Reduction Team has achieved success, challenges remain, the sheriff said. GCSO faces a continuous need to address varying crime trends and ensure adequate resources.  

“We’re excited to bring two more individuals onto the team,” Kriete said. “With those additions, we expect to see an even greater reduction in crime, enhancing our community’s safety and quality of life.”  

Ephrata 

Similar trends resonate in Ephrata, where police Chief Erik Koch reported shifts in crime rates.  

“While we recorded an increase in aggravated assaults of 21%, the overall crime picture remains stable,” Koch said. “The increase from 14 to 17 cases is not significant, highlighting the importance of context in crime statistics.” 

Property crimes saw a decline of 35%, with burglaries decreasing from 56 incidents to 36, he said.  

“We had a 100% reduction in murder,” Koch said. “That sounds impressive, but it’s crucial to understand we went from one reported homicide in 2023 to none in 2024. Still, it’s a win to have one less homicide.”  

Koch said there was also a reduction in property crimes.  

Ephrata reported a 35% decrease in burglaries, with 56 incidents in 2023 falling to 36 in 2024.  

“The state's overall property crime decrease was 13.4%, but we exceeded that with our local numbers,” he said. “Seeing a reduction in burglaries is a positive trend for our community and speaks to the impact of proactive policing measures.” 

Conversely, some crime areas saw slight increases. Aggravated assaults rose from 14 incidents in 2023 to 17 in 2024, marking a 21% increase, though with the already-low number, it isn’t necessarily cause for concern.  

“We’re talking about a couple more cases. It’s essential to see these figures in proportion to the overall crime landscape,” he said. 

Counterfeiting and forgery also experienced an increase, moving from one case in 2023 to five cases in 2024. Something Koch still said isn’t statistically notable. 

Looking forward, Koch said community engagement is an important factor in fighting crime. 

“Theft has always been a significant issue in Ephrata and the encompassing Basin,” he said. “We are focusing on making ourselves present in neighborhoods, engaging with residents, and fostering a sense of community safety. Building relationships helps deter some of this behavior.” 

COVID-19 continues to impact societal behaviors and crime patterns, Koch said. 

“We’re still feeling the effects of the isolation and societal changes brought on by COVID. The landscape of crime is evolving, and so is our approach to policing,” he said.  

Ephrata PD, he said, is adapting to new challenges, including legislative changes around policing methods and community engagement. 

Despite some increases, Koch expressed optimism regarding overall crime in Ephrata.  

“We’re seeing a downward trend for the most part across many categories, and we’re committed to maintaining these positive developments,” he said. “Our aim is to continue this trajectory and ensure the safety of our community.” 

Moses Lake 

Moses Lake Police Department Chief Dave Sands said there was a 0.9% increase in overall reported crime, compared to a 19.5% decrease in the previous year.  

“We went down in firearm offenses, and our violent crime against people went down,” Sands said. “However, we did see a slight increase in property crimes, which is a concern.”  

Sands said there were 2,113 reportable offenses in 2023, up from 2,094 in 2022, an increase of 19 cases. 

Despite that, Sands said Moses Lake remains safer compared to a decade ago, with crime per 1,000 residents decreasing from 138 in 2014 to 78.1 last year.  

“Most people wouldn’t believe that in 1994, there were 144.8 crimes per 1,000,” Sands said. “Today, you are twice as likely to be a victim of crime in that era than now.” 

Though violent crime rates have decreased, MLPD noted an 84% increase in narcotics violations. Sands said the spike in proactive policing initiatives for drug-related offenses.  

“While I can't say I'm pleased that we have that many drug cases, I’m happy we are making an impact,” he said.  

On the other hand, property crimes overall, including thefts and burglaries, have seen a rise. Sands said there were 343 additional theft offenses in 2023, with burglaries increasing by 12. In a small community like Moses Lake, that number can skew percentage data. 

“When you see minor shifts in the numbers, it can be affected greatly, even by a few arrests and putting people in jail for a long period of time,” he said. 

Community perception of crime poses its own challenges. Despite the data showing a decrease in crimes such as aggravated assault by 34%, residents continue to express fears about safety, Sands said.  

"It seems to me that even though we feel that we should be safer based on the data, the perception is still there that crime is worse,” Sands said. “People hear about cases repeatedly on social media and often think there is a crime wave, despite the statistics indicating otherwise.” 

Sands said the department is committed to keeping people safe through community policing.  

“We want to deploy our resources smarter, using data-driven approaches for better districting. Making positive interactions with neighborhoods is key,” Sands said.  

MLPD is looking forward to additional officers and advancing training.  

“There have been challenges, but we’re fortunate that many of our officers remain committed to this department,” Sands said.  

Sands said residents have a role in proactively preventing crime. For example, he advised not leaving valuables in plain sight and increasing neighborhood surveillance through cameras and lights.  

“The more proactive residents can be, the better,” Sands said. “We want to empower our community because at the end of the day, we're all part of this community.” 

Despite challenges in crime rates and community perception, Sands remains optimistic.  

“We are focused on improving and trying to do better, as there is always room for enhancing public safety,” he said. 

Quincy  

While some categories of crime have seen an uptick this year, others have remained steady or declined, leading Quincy Police Chief Ryan Green to describe 2024 stats as “relatively the same” compared to 2023. 

According to Green, Quincy experienced a slight increase in calls for service, rising approximately 2%. There were some notable numbers, though. 

“Our simple assaults are up 79% from last year, going from 47 to 84 incidents,” Green said.  

Given Quincy’s size, even a single additional major crime can significantly alter the percentage and perception of crime rates. 

Major assaults, particularly those involving a weapon, saw a larger increase, with cases jumping from one in 2023 to eight in 2024 — a 700% rise. The percentage increase makes it appear more severe than it is, he said. 

“It's kind of hard to look at stats for a small town because if we have one additional major crime, the percentage goes up significantly,” Green said. 

In contrast, other categories of crime declined.  

“Our malicious mischief and graffiti incidents were actually down,” Green said. “Overall crime rates show a slight increase in felony assaults, but the malicious mischief category has seen a positive decrease.” 

Animal control issues also declined. 

“We also saw a decrease in animals running at large and dangerous dog attacks,” Green said. “That's a good sign for our community.”  

Traffic incidents are another area where Quincy saw an increase. Green said collisions were up in 2024, a trend he believes is reflective of broader patterns statewide. 

Despite mixed trends in major crime categories, Green said he remains positive about the overall state of the Quincy PD.  

“So, we had a slight hiccup in staffing levels in 2023, but now our staffing is back up,” he said. “We hired seven new officers last year, which is significant for a small town. Now we are up to 23 commissioned officers, with 16 assigned to patrol duties.” 

Green described the morale within the department as high, attributing it to the influx of new officers and improved staffing levels.  

Green is optimistic about crime figures for 2025.  

“With our new staffing and a solid team in place, I’m hoping to see those numbers decrease next year,” he said. 

The Columbia Basin Herald reached out to Sheriff Dale Wagner with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office for this story but received no response prior to press time.