FBI Crime Report 2020: See Trends In Napa County

NAPA COUNTY, CA — Property crime was up last year in most of Napa County but violent crime was down in both the city and county of Napa, according to data released by the FBI in its 2020 uniform crime report.

In California, the FBI estimated crime statistics based on reports from 732 of the state’s 740 law enforcement agencies, including the Napa County Sheriff's Office, the Napa Police Department, the St. Helena Police Department, the American Canyon Police Department and the Calistoga Police Department.

The FBI has issued a caution about the crime data coming in at the local levels, however.

Lists comparing cities and counties "provide no insight into the numerous variables that shape crime in a given state, county, city, town, tribal area or region," the FBI said in a statement.

“Consequently, they lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents,” the statement continued. “Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction.”

The data shows violent crimes were slightly down in California, from 442.1 crimes per 100,000 people in 2019 to 442 crimes per 100,000 people in 2020.

Property crimes were down 8.43 percent during the same period, from 2,335.8 crimes per 100,000 people in 2019 to 2,138.9 crimes per 100,000 in 2020.

Violent crimes are labeled as homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property crimes are listed as arson, burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft.

Across unincorporated Napa County communities, the Napa County Sheriff's Department had a 17.39 percent decrease in the number of violent crimes, from 69 reported in 2019 to 57 in 2020, but a 24.9 percent increase in the number of property crimes, from 269 reported in 2019 to 336 in 2020, the data show.

In the city of Napa, the Napa Police Department saw a 4.64 percent decrease in violent crimes, from 280 reported in 2019 to 267 in 2020; and a 7.14 percent increase in property crimes, from 1,232 reported in 2019 to 1,320 in 2020, the data show.

The American Canyon Police Department had a 14.75 percent decrease in property crimes reported last year in its city, from 454 in 2019 to 387 in 2020; and a 47.17 percent increase in violent crimes, from 53 reported in 2019 to 78 in 2020, the data show.

The St. Helena Police Department saw no change in the number of violent crimes; there were 12 reported in 2019 and 12 in 2020. The city of St. Helena did see a 35.82 percent increase in the number of property crimes, from 67 reported in 2019 to 91 in 2020, the data show.

The Calistoga Police Department saw a 23 percent increase in the number of property crimes, from 70 reported in 2019 to 91 in 2020; and an 83.33 percent increase in violent crimes, from 6 reported in 2019 to 11 in 2020, the data show.

The Napa State Hospital saw a 65.55 percent decrease in violent crimes, from 328 reported in 2019 to 113 in 2019; and no change in the number of property crimes, with 2 reported in 2019 and 2 in 2020.

Napa County Highway Patrol saw a 73.1 percent increase in property crimes, from 26 reported in 2019 to 45 in 2020, whereas no violent crimes were reported to the agency in 2019 or 2020.

Nationwide, the FBI reported an increase in violent crime for the first time in four years. The number of property crimes reported nationally dropped for the 18th year in a row.

Violent crime was up 5.2 percent in 2020 from the 2019 number, the FBI said in a news release.

Among violent crimes, murder and non-negligent manslaughter reports saw the sharpest one-year uptick from 2019 to 2020, at 29.4 percent, the FBI said.

Property crimes dropped 8.1 percent from 2019 to 2020, the FBI data shows.