Chico Police restrain a suspect on Halloween weekend
During this year's Halloween weekend -- a time known for increased arrests in Chico -- the actual crime rate saw a slight downturn compared to previous years.
This may have been due to the rainy weather or the fact that crime during Chicoween has been in a decline for the past five years.
Chico Police reported 48 misdemeanors, five felonies, 39 minor-in-possession citations and 39 traffic citations. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 59 arrests were made and 53 citations handed out. Breaking down the data even further, Friday and Saturday were the busiest days for Chico police, with the most dispatch calls occurring during those two days.
Even though these arrest numbers seem high for a small city like Chico, they have been in decline since 2012. That there were 73 arrests, while in 2013 there were 37 arrests. This pattern of dwindling numbers has continuing for half a decade with each year seeing a decline in arrest rates. This continued the past two years, as well. In 2015 there was a decrease of 5 arrests from 58 to 53 in 2016.
According to a Chico Police Department news release, the rainy weekend did contribute to lower arrest numbers.
Chico native Monique Tallerico has noticed while growing up in the city that crime has gone down over Halloween weekend. “This year I didn’t notice it was crazier than usual,” said Tallerico. “I think there is the same amount of partying and everything, but people are just being smarter.”
Chico State Associated Student Body president Michael Pratt agreed with Tallarico's sentiments saying the growing trend of students acting responsibly and drinking safely may have contributed to the reduction of arrests.
“The student body has become more cognizant of the issues from the past,” said Pratt. “Students overall are realizing it's better just to be safe.”