Three Issaquah Police Department (IPD) officers dropped by Blakely Hall last week to answer questions from neighbors about crime prevention and trends in Issaquah Highlands.
Officer Cliff Madison answers questions from residents during the Community Safety Meeting on Thursday, Feb. 15.
Officer Cliff Madison emphasized that calling 911 or the police non-emergency number at 425-837-3028 is the quickest way to alert emergency services. He noted that posting about car prowls and package thefts on social media doesn’t reach IPD, so officers remain unaware of those trends if not properly reported. You can also submit an online report here.
For other concerns in the community that require long-term solutions, the officers encourage residents to email Issaquah City Council. Council President Lindsey Walsh, who lives in Issaquah Highlands, said she responds to all emails sent by residents. You can reach her at lindseyw@issaquahwa.gov.
According to crime statistics from Jan. 1 to Feb. 13 of this year, Issaquah Highlands represents only 20% of the 305 total crimes within the City of Issaquah. Of the 60 crimes in our community so far this year, roughly 58% are considered property crimes such as burglary, theft, vandalism and fraud.
The data shows that all crime categories have decreased so far this year, with the exception of crimes against society, which increased due to the number of trespassing offenses. A criminal trespass refers to an unlawful intrusion by a person into private property without authorization. It’s important to note that trespass shows a 375% increase in 2024 compared to this window of time last year.
Notably, assault crimes have decreased by 75% (from 12 to 3 offenses) in 2024. Larceny and theft are also down 3.57% compared to 2023, however, shoplifting has increased by 56.3% this year (from 16 to 25 offenses).
IPD Crime Analyst Ryan Smith said organized retail theft is a very real crime occurring locally and police are trying to encourage local retailers to report it more. Many stores have corporate policies that do not encourage reporting, she added, which lowers the data estimates since they can only document what is reported.
The police department does share information with a citywide retail business group, Smith said, and IPD is working on strengthening those relationships.
For more data and statistics related to public safety, visit the IPD website to find a weekly crime blotter, a crime map of Issaquah, a community dashboard, and other helpful resources.
