Ups and downs of Cheney crime

Cheney crime statistics for 2012 are somewhat of a mixed bag: some areas are down while others are up and a few changed very little.

According to the Police Department’s year-end report issued at the end of December, reportable offenses in the city dropped about 3.1 percent overall, down from 691 in 2011 to 669 last year. Four of the 10 categories saw decreases; led by a 31 percent decline in criminal alcohol offenses (down to 40 from 58 in 2011) and a 23.4 percent drop in assaults (72 down from 94), with a 48.3 percent reduction in restraining orders as well.

And while two other categories, d...