Violent crime rises 5.7% as most other types fall

Visitors to Ray Fink’s home are greeted by the barrel of a shotgun pictured on a sign with the warning, “We don’t dial 911.” He and his wife sleep with loaded guns within reach.

“We’re a little paranoid,” said Fink, who fought off an armed intruder in January 2005.

He has since moved from Coeur d’Alene to Benewah County, but Fink said the effects of the crime have stayed with him.

The disabled veteran said his struggle with a man nearly 40 years his junior aggravated problems he had with bad knees, his hip and a herniated disc in his back.

Fink was one of nearly 3,700 victims of violent crime in the state last year – a category that continued to increase despite an overall drop in crime statewide.

Most types of crime were down in 2005 compared with 2004 reports, according to the Idaho State Police annual report. Crimes against persons, property and society declined 4.7 percent.

Violent crime, however, went up 5.7 percent and aggravated assault, which accounted for three out of four violent crimes last year, rose 6.7 percent.

In Kootenai County, the number of aggravated assaults increased from 262 to 314 in a year. There were 65 rapes reported compared with 51 in 2004, and five homicides compared with one the previous year.

Three victims were members of a Wolf Lodge family. Joseph Edward Duncan is set to stand trial in October for the killing of Brenda Groene, her son Slade and her boyfriend, Mark McKenzie.

Kootenai County Sheriff Rocky Watson said the increase in violent crime has been difficult to manage with six detectives.

“We’ve got a very small detectives bureau for a county of this size,” Watson said. “Those are personal crimes. They deserve a lot of attention. It just stresses the bureau.”

Other crimes can be prioritized to be dealt with as department resources allow, Watson said.

When the crime is a physical crime against a person, though, Watson said it has to be addressed right away.

Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said he has asked county commissioners for an additional deputy prosecuting attorney to help with the felony caseload.

“We live in an increasingly violent society with the seas of destruction all around us,” Douglas said.

“Our office is really taxed to the limit.”

He added: “It’s nearing the point where my office has to prioritize and handle the crimes against persons first and put aside the property crimes. It has almost reached that point.”

In the 14 years he’s lived in North Idaho, Fink said, he’s noticed the increase in violent crime.

He’s judging not only from his own experience, but also by the headlines he reads in the newspaper.

He said he reads more and more about people like himself who refuse to be victims and fight back – “like a little old lady who beat someone with a broom,” he said.

“People are taking the offensive.”

Through a plea agreement, James P. Haver wasn’t charged for the assault against Fink. He was sent to prison for 15 years, though, for a shooting that same evening just miles from Fink’s home.

Haver was also ordered to pay Fink $500 in restitution.

Fink said he hasn’t seen a dime and doesn’t expect he ever will.