Peak activity during evening rush-hour, with Downtown and Puget bearing the brunt of the calls.
Good morning, Bellingham!
Wednesday morning was marked by welfare checks and a somber investigation on Moore Street, while the evening hours brought a sharp increase of activity to our busier locations. Everything from narcotics investigations on Meridian to retail theft along the Lakeway strip, here’s what happened in yesterday’s 31 incidents.
At a Glance
Downtown and the Puget neighborhood were the primary focus for law enforcement yesterday, accounting for over forty percent of all calls. The Puget area in particular saw a heavy presence starting very early with a death investigation on Moore Street.
Despite the variety of calls, over ninety percent of yesterday's activity was non-violent. While the police were certainly busy, the vast majority of their work involved property crimes, warrants, and community welfare rather than physical confrontations.
Category Breakdown
The catch-all category of 'Other' led the day, largely driven by a string of warrant arrests and found property reports. Welfare checks followed closely behind, representing nearly twenty percent of our city's calls. These incidents, often involving behavioral health crises, highlight the ongoing social challenges we face in neighborhoods like Cornwall Park and Columbia.
Theft and narcotics violations also made their mark yesterday. Shoplifting and fraud cases centered around the Lakeway and Meridian retail hubs, while two significant narcotics arrests took place in Downtown and the Cornwall Park area.
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Timeline Analysis
Activity followed a typical rhythm yesterday, building steadily before spiking as the workday ended.
6 PM was the busiest hour, seeing four separate incidents including a fight on Lincoln Street and a theft on Lakeway Drive. This peak was part of a broader two hour window starting at 5 PM where six calls came in back to back. Late night activity contained domestic disputes and welfare threats, keeping the night shift occupied.
Intel Briefs
Lakeway Retail Watch
The Fredmeyer’s area continues to see multiple incidents, shopping outside of rush-hour might offer a more relaxed experience.
Behavioral Health Resources
Yesterday’s six welfare and behavioral health calls marks a two day streak of higher than usual concerns. The 988 lifeline is a path to support without involving a patrol response.
Garden Street Awareness
The Sehome neighborhood, particularly the 1000 block of North Garden Street, saw repeated activity involving warrants and welfare checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's in the "Other" category?
The "Other" category includes 8 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.