Crime continues to decline in Lake City, down about 70% over the past decade, according to new data from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.

The agency’s 2025 report shows that a total of 498 part 1 crimes were reported in the city last year, a 23% decrease over the prior year. That category includes serious crimes against persons or property, such as aggravated assault, rape, robbery and arson. 

Since 2014, the number of reported part 1 crimes has decreased by 76%, dropping every year. 

Interim Chief Dave Hagar attributes the steady decrease amid population increases to his agency’s culture and data-driven approach to law enforcement. He said the trend began in 2014, when his predecessor, Lee White, took the helm. 

That year, more than 2,000 part 1 crimes were reported. Today’s data paints a different picture. 

“It means there’s that many fewer victims in our city,” Hagar said Wednesday. 

In Coeur d’Alene, Hagar said, police do more than react to crime that’s already happened. He said officers aim to spend about one-third of each shift on crime-prevention activities, such as traffic stops and time spent in neighborhoods where crimes have been reported. 

Engaging with the community is an important part of these proactive activities. Hagar said the trust that officers build with Coeur d’Alene residents helps their crime-fighting efforts. 

“Calls for service have gone up,” he said. “When communities feel that they’re being serviced by their police, they’re willing to call. They know we’re going to respond.” 

According to the report, calls for service numbered 39,552 last year, an increase of just over 2,600 from 2024. A total of 14% of those calls were related to traffic, crashes and abandoned vehicles, while 8% involved crimes against persons and 4% involved property crimes, vandalism or theft. 

Juvenile problems, suspicious activities and disputes made up 9% of calls for service, while code enforcement calls made up 5% of calls for service. 

Most calls for service, about 24%, were for general assistance to the public, a broad category that includes calls which don’t fit into any other category. 

Part 2 crimes dropped a little more than 6% between 2024 and 2025, with a total of 3,316 such offenses reported last year. This category includes crimes such as driving under the influence, disturbing the peace, trespassing and drug-related offenses. 

Hagar said the Coeur d’Alene Police Department collects this data to help improve their practices and police the city more effectively as the population grows. Making weekly, monthly and annual crime data easily accessible to the public through the agency’s website helps keep the public informed. 

“We want to be transparent across the board and we want people to see what we’re doing,” Hagar said. “This is our ability to show what we’re accomplishing for our community.” 

Hagar said last summer was one of the safest in downtown Coeur d’Alene, and data show that Coeur d’Alene is one of the safest cities in Idaho. 

“If you’re a community member or coming to visit, we want you to be safe and we want you to have fun,” he said. “But if you’re committing crimes and dealing drugs, Coeur d’Alene is not the place you should be.”