Lowest incident count in 30 days, but arrests stayed busy
Good afternoon, Bellingham!
Friday was the quietest day Bellingham has seen in over a month, with just 17 incidents logged. For officers however, low volume didn’t equal a slow day. Ten arrests, including a pair of repeat offenders caught shoplifting together at Bellis Fair Mall, kept enforcement active even as reports dropped off.
At a Glance
Activity clustered in the middle of the day. The early morning hours saw a DUI arrest on Cornwall Ave and a domestic dispute at the Fred Meyer parking lot on Lakeway, then things went quiet until mid-morning. The busiest stretch ran from about 10:30 AM to 4 PM, with most of the day's arrests happening in that window.
Meridian led all neighborhoods with four incidents, three of them at Bellis Fair Mall. Downtown, which usually dominates the daily count, had just three reported incidents.
Category Breakdown
Vehicular incidents are up 65% week-over-week, driven by traffic stops and DUI enforcement rather than collisions. Friday alone had four vehicular incidents, including a hit-and-run arrest in Samish. On the other end, narcotics reports have dropped 58% from the prior week, continuing a quiet stretch for drug-related activity.
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Timeline Analysis
Intel Briefs
Weekend May Break the Quiet Streak
This week is tracking 34% below last week through Friday, with yesterday posting the lowest incident count in 30 days. Saturday is historically the quietest day of the week, but Friday and Saturday nights typically see upticks in disturbance and assault incidents, particularly along Holly Street. The current lull may not hold through the weekend.
Vehicular Incidents Running Hot
Vehicular-related reports are up 65% week-over-week, bucking the overall downward trend. If you're parking at Lakeway lots, Bellis Fair, or Barkley Village this weekend, the usual precautions apply: nothing visible, doors locked.
Violent Crime Staying Subdued
Violent incidents have been below average for four consecutive days, and assault incidents are down 23% compared to the prior week. Worth noting as the weekend approaches, though Friday and Saturday nights historically carry higher risk for altercations downtown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's in the "Other" category?
The "Other" category includes 4 incidents that don't fit into our main categories. Here's the breakdown:
Where does this data come from?
All incident data is sourced directly from the official Bellingham Police Department Daily Activity Log. We aggregate and analyze this public information to provide community insights. Our data is updated daily and reflects only what the department publicly reports.