Riverside County 2015 crime stats released

The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has released the 2015 crime statistics report, a move that officials said will take place during the first quarter of every year.

The cumulative report contains crime data as reported by all city police departments and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, including all contract cities served by the sheriff’s department, officials said in the release.

The analysis is based on data received as of February 6, 2016. The DA’s office reports any changes to the original data after that date aren’t reflected in the report.

Here are some examples of what the cumulative report details.

Double-digit increases of total crime reported by the sheriff’s department for 2015 versus 2014:

Indian Wells up 23%
Menifee up 20%
Temecula up 15%
Rancho Mirage up 15%
Lake Elsinore up 14%
Norco up 10%
Canyon Lake down 29%

Violent crime of homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault reported by city police departments: (Cathedral City and Palm Springs only two incorporated city police departments reporting a decrease)

Banning up 56%
Beaumont up 54%
Hemet up 30%
Murrieta up 29%
Indio up 26%
Corona up 25%
Desert Hot Springs up 11%
Cathedral City down 7%
Palm Springs down 5%

For a full list of crime stats by city, you can view the entire report.

“One reason we are now issuing this report annually is because of the importance that all of us in law enforcement be as transparent as we can be with the public we serve,” said District Attorney Mike Hestrin. “Whether we see crime rates going up or going down, it is essential that we honestly and openly report that to the public.”

The crime statistics in this report were obtained by the sheriff’s department and all city police departments in Riverside County.