EDITORIAL: Coeur d'Alene police keep the criminals away

Criminals seem to be staying away from Coeur d’Alene and for good reason. How do we know this? The statistics in the recently released 2024 crime report pretty much say so. 

Part 1 crimes, which include aggravated assault, arson, auto burglary, rape, homicide, robbery and arson, were down 12.5% in 2024 from 2023.  

Part 2 crimes, which include assault, drugs, DUI, vandalism and fraud, were down 5.2%. 

If you go back farther, the reduction in crime is even more pronounced. 

Property crimes fell 27% from 2019 to 2024, while person crimes fell 24% over that same timeframe. 

It’s significant to note that while population was rising, from 52,256 in 2019 to 57,561 last year, part 1 crimes fell from 1,016 in 2020 to 637 last year, a 37% decrease.

Coeur d’Alene is a place where many people still leave their homes unlocked when they are away at work. It’s a place where people do not fear going for walks at night. It’s a place where you can forget to lock your vehicle at night and in the morning, it still sits, safe and sound. 

So why is crime down? 

The Coeur d’Alene’s Police Department, led by Chief Lee White since 2014, has a strong presence. It’s common to see marked police SUVs cruising through downtown and neighborhoods. Come summer, you’ll find police officers on bike and on foot making their rounds. Officers make themselves visible. In some cities roughly the size of Coeur d’Alene, you might never see a police car. Not so here. 

Criminals tend to steer clear of police, and as police seem to be everywhere in Coeur d’Alene, they avoid this city and take their illegal activity elsewhere. 

The city invests in its police department to the tune of about $25 million this fiscal year. We believe this is money well spent. The results are clear. More police equals less crime. 

Police have a dangerous job. They deal with many unknowns every day. They face difficult situations and encounter unsavory people. They do this so we don't have to.

Coeur d’Alene is a safe place to live and for that, we thank our police department. 

We like what Police Chief White had to say of the 2024 crime report and restate them here: 

“Although these numbers are a great summary of what our officers and professional staff accomplished, they do little to explain the long hours and great sacrifice these numbers represent. The impact of helping people through crisis on a daily basis cannot be understated, and the men and women of the Coeur d’Alene Police Department exemplify the courage, compassion, and professionalism that it takes to truly keep a community safe.” 

We could not agree more.