After years of a consistent decline in assaults in Mariposa County, that number jumped by 42 percent to close out the decade. The figure, released by Mariposa County Sheriff Brian Muller on Jan. 2, represents just one of the areas of crime that experienced an increase last year.

“Overall, I was pleased with the statistics,’” Muller said. “I was prepared for the worst. I was anticipating moderate increases in property crimes and domestic violence related incidents.”

The sheriff was seriously concerned that the state of the economy would take a more serious toll on local crime rates. “I was confident that the downward trend in crime would come to a screeching halt, and that the numbers would be reminiscent of 2004, a year when local crime seemed to be at an all-time high.”

The assault rate may seem high, but it is actually more than 50 percent lower than it was at the beginning of the decade. In 2002, there were 284 assaults. Last year, the sheriff’s office logged a total of 186.

The sheriff said financial stress and frustration are adding to the problem. “Individuals who might normally deal with problems in a nonviolent manner often become more aggressive in their efforts to resolve problems,” Muller said.

To no one’s surprise, theft rose by 19 percent. In a tough economy, law enforcement is accustomed to dealing with more property crime as people struggle. Again, the number is up slightly, but is still down considerably over recent years. Just three years ago, there were 228 theft reports in Mariposa County. In 2009, there were 205.

Vandalism and burglary were also up by eight percent each. Vandalism calls have fallen in the past several years, too. In 2007, there were 194 incidents. Last year, there were 138. Burglary reports were up from 97 in 2008 to 100 last year, but were down from 106 in 2007.

Another sign of stressful times that law enforcement watches is the number of domestic violence calls. That category jumped by five percent in 2009, to 147. It is still considerably lower than the 166 posted in 2007.

Crimes against children remained nearly constant and are at levels less than half what the County was experiencing five years ago. Arrests for driving under the influence were down by 16 percent.

Even though the rates varied more, the issues remain pretty similar. “We’re still dealing with the same types of crimes,” Muller said.

Overall, the number of people booked into the jail was down by two percent, but calls to the sheriff’s office have risen by three percent. Last year, there were 30,097, an average of 82 per day, calls for service. That number is down significantly from a peak of 38,103 calls in 2004.

Although not a crime category, animal control calls skyrocketed, too. There were 32 percent more calls for service for loose dogs, mules and cows in 2009. The year ended with 2,886 calls for animal control service, which is more calls than at any time in history of the animal control division.

Again the sheriff believes the economy is taking its toll in this area, as evidenced by more calls for animal neglect cases. “In difficult economic times, animal owners frequently find that the ongoing cost of animal ownership is more than they can afford,” Muller explained. He said the cost to feed and maintain pets, and especially livestock, can become overwhelming. “Many pets are abandoned or owner-released to animal care facilities and shelters,” Muller said.

Even with the increases, Muller said Mariposa County residents have reason to feel safe here.

“We should take comfort in knowing that the actual crime numbers still remain extremely low in comparison to other jurisdictions,” the sheriff said. “There is no question that we continue to live in one of the safest counties in California and that the successes we achieve are the result of an ongoing, collaborative effort between community members and law enforcement.”

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