The city of Redmond has experienced a dip in its crime rate over the past few years, despite a jump in the years 2010 and 2011, according to reports collected by the Redmond Police Department.

Since 2008, when the city recorded 50.9 crimes per 1,000 people, the rate has declined to 39.4 per 1,000 people in 2014, according to the department’s 2014 annual report presented before the Redmond City Council last month. The city’s population of about 27,000 people has grown twofold since 2000, according to US Census data.

Police Chief Dave Tarbet attributes the apparent change in the crime rate to a number of possible factors, but said it could in part be due to targeted investigation efforts.

For about four years, a street crimes unit has consisted of 10 officers assigned to additional duty to delve into significant cases.

“The effort it takes to pull together and fully investigate the case … is more than one officer can handle,” Tarbet said.

Last year, the unit carried out 22 investigations, making 28 arrests and seizing nearly $4,500 in property obtained through criminal activity, according to the department. The city has set aside $25,000 every year to cover overtime costs for the unit, which was for two years covered by grant money, Tarbet said.

The chief said the relative decline might also be the result of staffing changes. The department had to keep five positions vacant during the recession, he said, the last two of which were filled in 2014.

However, there might also be a number of social factors that result in a drop in the overall crime rate, Tarbet said.

“I think services are improving and I think we’re seeing a different demographic moving into our community,” Tarbet said.

And while the overall crime rate might be down, the number of reported sex crimes and domestic violence incidents has risen, according to the annual report.

“I think awareness is becoming a bigger piece of that just generally,” Tarbet said. Since 1994, the KIDS Center, a child abuse intervention center in Bend, has provided a training program to individuals and groups in the tri-county area about recognizing the signs of child abuse, reflecting a national trend of increased awareness of sex crimes.

Over half of the department’s officers are also now trained in crisis intervention, Tarbet said, which may have contributed to the department’s reported increase in officer holds and people receiving medical care, though “I’m not sure it’s contributed to reducing crime significantly,” he said.

Nationwide, the crime rate has decreased steadily every year since 1994, according to the FBI, which annually collects reporting data from local law enforcement agencies.

Tarbet said the department hasn’t changed how it classifies or reports crimes.

— Reporter: 541-383-0376,

cwithycombe@bendbulletin.com