Crime decreased in several Southwest Washington communities in 2025, according to data compiled by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, with Battle Ground, Ridgefield and Woodland each reporting fewer Group A offenses than the previous year.
The annual “Crime in Washington” report shows Woodland experienced the largest percentage decrease among the local agencies reviewed, with Group A offenses falling 29.6% from 372 in 2024 to 262 in 2025. Battle Ground reported an 11.5% decline, from 616 offenses to 545, while Ridgefield saw a 2.6% decrease, from 421 to 410.
The numbers encompass Group A offenses under the National Incident-Based Reporting System, including crimes such as assault, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, drug violations and weapon law violations. The report also tracks arrests and whether reported offenses were cleared.
Battle Ground
Battle Ground recorded 545 Group A offenses in 2025, down 11.5% from the previous year. The department reported 226 cleared offenses, resulting in a 41.5% clearance rate, and made 165 Group A arrests, including 131 adult arrests and 34 juvenile arrests. The city's reported crime rate was 23.9 offenses per 1,000 residents.
Theft remained the most frequently reported Group A offense, with 168 larceny-theft offenses, although that figure was down 19.2% from 2024. Simple assaults also declined, falling 15.6% to 76.
Several categories moved in the opposite direction.
Battle Ground recorded 20 aggravated assaults, a 122.2% increase from 2024, while robberies increased 200% from three to nine. Violations of no-contact or protection orders rose 64.9%, from 37 to 61.
Motor vehicle theft dropped sharply, from 20 cases in 2024 to four in 2025. Drug and narcotic violations also fell 57.7%, from 26 to 11.
The department reported nine rapes, 14 burglaries, 73 cases of destruction of property, 23 fraud offenses and 10 weapon law violations. There were no murders reported and one manslaughter offense, according to the report.
Ridgefield
Ridgefield recorded 410 Group A offenses in 2025, a 2.6% decline from the 421 reported in 2024.
The department cleared 179 offenses for a 43.7% clearance rate and made 134 Group A arrests. Of those arrests, 124 involved adults and 10 involved juveniles. The reported crime rate was 25.2 offenses per 1,000 residents.
Larceny-theft was Ridgefield's largest category, with 150 offenses, followed by destruction of property at 49 and simple assault at 46.
Some categories increased substantially. Intimidation offenses rose 80%, from 15 to 27, while burglary increased 12.5%, from 24 to 27. Destruction of property increased 11.4%.
At the same time, drug and narcotic violations fell 61.5%, from 26 to 10. Motor vehicle theft dropped by half, from eight cases to four, while robbery declined from one case to none.
Ridgefield reported three rapes, seven aggravated assaults and no murders or robberies in 2025, according to the report.
Woodland
Woodland reported the largest decline among the local agencies reviewed with 262 Group A offenses, down 29.6% from 372 in 2024.
The department cleared 133 offenses, giving it a 50.8% clearance rate, while recording 103 Group A arrests. All 103 arrests were of adults. The reported crime rate was 39.8 offenses per 1,000 residents.
Larceny-theft offenses fell 54.7%, from 159 to 72, while burglary declined 52.6%, from 19 to nine. Destruction of property fell 47.4%, from 38 to 20.
Woodland did see increases in several categories. No-contact and protection-order violations rose 83.3%, from 12 to 22. Motor vehicle theft increased 62.5%, from eight to 13, while drug and narcotic violations increased 37.5%, from 16 to 22.
Robbery increased from one case to three, a 200%
increase, although the overall number remained small. Woodland reported two rapes, three aggravated assaults and no murders, according to the report.
Clark County
The Clark County Sheriff's Office reported 1,712 Group A offenses in 2025, with 466 offenses cleared for a 27.2% clearance rate. The agency reported 370 Group A arrests, including 340 adult arrests and 30 juvenile arrests.
Larceny-theft was the most frequently reported offense, with 515 cases, followed by simple assault with 234 and destruction of property with 214. The sheriff's office also reported 144 violations of no-contact or protection orders, 97 motor vehicle thefts, 97 fraud offenses, 89 intimidation offenses, 88 burglaries and 71 aggravated assaults.
The agency reported 29 rapes, nine robberies and 22 weapon law violations. There were no murders and one manslaughter offense reported, according to the report.
Cowlitz County
The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office reported 1,030 Group A offenses in 2025, down 4.8% from 1,082 the previous year.
The sheriff's office cleared 469 offenses, producing a 45.5% clearance rate, and reported 373 Group A arrests — 348 adults and 25 juveniles. The reported crime rate was 20.1 offenses per 1,000 residents.
Simple assault was the largest individual category at 188 offenses, followed by larceny-theft at 170. Drug and narcotic violations totaled 128, while destruction of property accounted for 79 offenses and intimidation for 63.
The sheriff's office reported declines in several categories, including burglary, which fell 34.2% to 50 offenses, and motor vehicle theft, which fell 26.9% to 38. Robbery decreased 14.3% to six offenses.
There was one murder reported in the sheriff's office jurisdiction, down from three in 2024. Rape offenses remained unchanged at 20, according to the report.
Read the full report from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs at tinyurl.com/bdae3tww.
