Tuesday's midday surge brings 28 calls across Bellingham
Happy Wednesday, Bellingham!
Yesterday brought a moderate Tuesday with 28 incidents, clustering around the lunch and early afternoon hours. The Lettered Streets neighborhood saw the most activity with eight calls, while administrative matters like warrant arrests dominated the day's work. Most of Bellingham stayed quiet, with six neighborhoods reporting just single incidents throughout the entire day.
At a Glance
With nearly 40% of yesterday's calls falling into administrative categories and another 25% involving investigations or interpersonal disputes, Tuesday shaped up as a maintenance day for public safety. Only three incidents involved violence, keeping the non-violent share at a healthy 89.3%.
Today's midweek pattern suggests similar timing—expect busier corridors from noon to 3 PM, especially downtown and near campus. With clear weather holding, retail areas along Meridian and Lakeway may see continued foot traffic and the occasional property crime attempt this afternoon.
Category Breakdown
The heavy tilt toward 'Other' incidents—mostly warrant arrests and court transports—suggests officers spent much of yesterday on administrative enforcement rather than responding to active crimes. This pattern typically means a calmer day for residents, with police proactively clearing backlogs rather than racing between emergencies.
The Lettered Streets absorbed most of the paperwork activity, including multiple warrant arrests along Magnolia and Central. WWU saw a cluster of narcotics cases near 21st Street, while Cordata dealt with interpersonal disputes. The theft incidents hit retail areas on Lakeway and Northwest Avenue during business hours.
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Timeline Analysis
Yesterday followed a classic workday rhythm with a pronounced midday-to-afternoon surge.
The quietest stretch ran from midnight to 7 AM with just four total calls. Activity ramped up sharply from noon through 3 PM, when officers handled five incidents in two hours—the day's busiest window. The Lettered Streets saw most of their eight calls between 10 AM and 2 PM, while evening hours after 8 PM stayed relatively calm with scattered warrant arrests and traffic stops.
Intel Briefs
Lunch Hour Awareness
Yesterday's noon-to-2 PM surge centered on the Lettered Streets and WWU areas. Consider scheduling errands outside this window for quicker parking and less congestion.
Retail Security Note
Both theft arrests yesterday occurred at major retail corridors—Lakeway and Northwest Avenue—during business hours. Store managers should maintain visible staff presence during afternoon shifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's in the "Other" category?
The "Other" category includes 13 incidents that don't fit into our main categories. Here's the breakdown:
Where does this data come from?
All incident data is sourced directly from the official Bellingham Police Department Daily Activity Log. We aggregate and analyze this public information to provide community insights. Our data is updated daily and reflects only what the department publicly reports.