“Town Crier” newsletter – Briefs from the Region (2) – 2/27/20
Bozeman, despite a recent boom in population, has secured the lowest crime rate when compared to other large Montana cities, recording some 72 offenses per 1,000 people in 2018, reports the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Kalispell came in second, with 112 offenses per 1,000 people, and Billings trailed in third by a margin of six offenses. Which city had the worst rates of crime? Helena, with 163 offenses per 1,000 people—nearly 100 more than Bozeman. Still, it’s worth noting that Gallatin County felony charges jumped 15 percent between 2017 and 2019, totaling 760 last year for crimes like possession of dangerous drugs including meth, rape and tampering with evidence. Misdemeanors increased by 2 percent over the same timeframe. According to The Chronicle, the most common crime in Gallatin County’s most-populous city in 2019 was drunk driving, totaling 363 arrests; there were 351 reported cases of theft and 269 cases of destruction or vandalism of property.
