Crime is down in Washington state and Thurston County, according to new data
A 2024 crime report released by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs revealed that crime in both the state as a whole and Thurston County specifically dropped from the previous year.
The data indicated an almost 9% decrease in crime across the state. More than 480,000 total crimes were recorded in Washington in 2024 compared to about 527,000 in 2023.
Thurston County’s crime dropped even more dramatically. While 2,983 crimes were recorded in the county in 2024, 3,750 crimes were recorded in 2023, representing a 20.5% decrease in crime countywide.
Notable among the statistics, murder cases in Thurston County decreased 40% while rape decreased 59%.
Local theft-related crime dropped as well. Incidences of robbery decreased 52% while burglary decreased 23% percent. Motor vehicle theft also dropped 32.5%.
Like in the state as a whole, there was an uptick in “crimes against society.” Drug and firearm-related crimes rose 31% statewide during the past year.
In Thurston County, drug/narcotic violations increased 11% while drug equipment violations doubled from 16 incidents in 2023 to 32 incidents in 2024.
Meanwhile, weapons law violations in the county surged by 32.5% from 40 violations in 2023 to 53 violations in 2024.
This data emerges as Washington lawmakers grapple with an ongoing shortage of law enforcement officers. Washington state has become known for having the fewest law enforcement officers per capita than any other state. But this year’s WASPC report suggests that the state’s law enforcement numbers are recovering – though slowly – after they plummeted during the pandemic.
The ratio of commissioned officers in the state per 1,000 people increased from 1.35 in 2023 to 1.38 in 2024 while the ratio of civilian officers per 1,000 people increased from 0.68 in 2023 to 0.71 in 2024.
In May, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed House Bill 2015, which authorized the allocation of $100 million toward hiring police officers.