Assault, larceny and car theft rise in 2021 crime numbers

Crime was up in 2021 compared to 2020, according to data from the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.

Calls for service were 23,836, which is about the level expected, according to Patrol Division Chief Ryan Spurling. In 2019, calls increased about 2,000 from 2018r and have been steady in recent years.

“We were around anywhere from 20,000 to 22,000 and then we jumped all the way up to 24,000 and we’ve been pretty consistent,” Spurling said.

He said the rise might stem from having more people here now because a lot of the people who had cabins are staying and working remotely. There have also been a lot of mental health calls to the Sheriff’s Office. The Law Enforcement Assistance Diversion program, which tries to improve community health and safety by allowing officers to refer certain individuals who commit law violations due to behavioral health problems or poverty to care in the community, has been a big help for MCSO in responding to those calls.

“We are delighted with the program because we had nothing and now we have something,” Spurling said.

MCSO responded to 324 collisions. In 2020, there were 630 collisions.

The two main causes for traffic fatalities in Mason County in 2021 were driving under the influence and high speeds, according to Spurling.

Among crimes that increased, there were 77 aggravated assaults, up from 49 in 2020. There were 520 incidents of larceny or theft, up 413 from 2020. Motor vehicle theft increased slightly in 2021 to 103 from 95 in 2020. There were 16 reported rapes, up 11 from 2020.

Burglaries are down from 320 in 2020 to 251 in 2021. In North Mason, larceny and theft, motor vehicle thefts and burglaries are up. In South Mason County, aggravated assault, larceny and theft all increased in 2021 but burglary and motor vehicle thefts were down.

Spurling said those calls for service were with 28 deputies within MCSO. Six to eight deputies are considering retirement, and one has stated his intention to retire, he said.

“You’re losing all those years of experience but it’s a natural thing that occurs because for example, 20-something years ago, they probably increased the number of deputies available and all those people that they hired are now retiring,” Spurling said. “It’s a natural bubble so it happens, and we just have to try and navigate it as smoothly as possible while providing the best services to our community.”

He said there are a lack of people to fill roles at the jail, but not in patrol, and it takes about a year and a half to get a new hire on the job.

The body cams the commission approved in 2021 have been installed on all of the MCSO vests and the car cams are in the process of being installed due to supply issues. Spurling said they are already benefiting MCSO.

The Sheriff’s Office is still figuring out the full effects of the police reform bills passed by the Legislature in 2021, according to Spurling. MSCO is looking at the data and Spurling said the biggest thing is deputies didn’t know what they could and couldn’t do because of the ambiguity of the laws.

“We have worked through that diligently and found a pretty smooth operating understanding,” Spurling said.

Spurling said he wants the people to know they have amazing deputies in Mason County who really care for their community.

“I couldn’t be prouder from what they’ve done under the pressures that they’ve been under from COVID to the new legislation to some of the anti-police rhetoric, they still go out and do their job to the best of their abilities and serve their communities the best they can every day,” Spurling said.