HERMISTON — Violent crime and property crime in Hermiston is down 20% and 9% respectively in 2026, according to the Hermiston Police Department.
The HPD compiles its crime statistics yearly and submits them to the state, which sends them to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program.
Overall crime in Hermiston was down 10% from 2025, according to the HPD’s report. Other categories that fell during the past year include aggravated assault, down 9%, and larceny is down 14%.
Burglaries up 81%
The number of burglaries increased 81% from a year ago with 29 reported in 2026 compared to 16 in 2025.
“Burglary is up as compared to last year, but our experience is still on the low end of the normal range,” Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston said. The normal range for burglary during the past 10 years is between 24-52.
“Some of why it is up is due to petty theft taking place in attached garages or carports,” Edmiston said. “For example, if a sack of cans is stolen from a carport, it can count as a burglary.”
Auto thefts increased 17% in 2026 with 21 auto thefts reported compared to 18 in 2025.
There were two arsons in Hermiston in 2026, compared to zero last year.
Homicide down
The homicide statistics require a little explanation. There were zero reported in 2026, although an 18-year-old was shot and killed in Hermiston in January. Edmiston said that was categorized as manslaughter.
According to the HPD crime report, there were six homicides in 2025, despite the fact that no one was murdered in Hermiston last year.
“In Oregon, attempted murders count as murders, which is crazy silly stupid, yes, I know,” Edmiston said.
There were four rapes in Hermiston in 2026, compared to three the prior year.
Traffic stops jumped 41% in 2026 with 7,912 compared with 5,621 in 2025.
Another category that saw a big jump in 2025 is officer-initiated activity, which includes traffic stops, building checks, pedestrian stops and similar activity an officer initiates and are not calls for service.
Officer-initiated activity increased 65% from a year ago with 20,079 in 2026 compared to 12,201 in 2025.
Total arrests up 4%
Total arrests were up 4% in 2026 with 1,052 compared to 1,009 in 2025. The number of citations was up 37% this year with 6,278 compared to 4,583 in 2025.
“Officer-initiated activity is way up,” Edmiston said. “This coupled with total arrests being up can be attributed to being adequately staffed where officers can be proactive versus completely reactive.”
Edmiston said the police department added three additional officers when the Hermiston City Council adopted a public safety staffing fee on utility bills a few years ago.
“This allowed us to get our patrol teams to five officers per team,” Edmiston said. “We have four patrol teams, and they work a 12-hour shift.”
The department also contracts with Good Shepherd Health Care System to provide four officers at the hospital, which pays 100% of the cost.
The department has a total of 38 sworn officers.
“Having those resources allows the officers to be more proactive,” Edmiston said. “That proactivity impacts all categories and can also impact the crime stats because in theory, officers are able to find more crime and hopefully stop some crimes from even happening.”
Source: eastoregonian.com
