Durango and La Plata County have their problems, of course, but local police and the public they serve both benefit from the fact that, overall, this is a healthy community. That is reflected in crime statistics.
As the Herald reported Monday, crime is down statewide. At the local level, the picture is a little more confusing. Some categories are up, some down. In large part, though, that is simply because the numbers are so small that changes that would go unnoticed elsewhere represent seemingly large shifts.
Durango had no murders in 2013 and 2014 but has had one this year. Any murder is too many, but a shift from zero to one cannot even be expressed as a percentage. There is no trend there.
Likewise, a 6.6 percent increase in local thefts sounds dramatic. In fact, though, that represents only 24 more thefts. And, in that, the Durango Police Department has no monetary minimum for theft reports – those two dozen thefts may not add up to much.
What accounts for the statewide drop in crime is unclear, although demographics have to play a role. Crime is a young man’s game (and, yes, it is mostly men.) Our greying population is less inclined to criminal activity.
For Durango, though, the low crime rate is easy to explain. On balance, it is a healthy community.
