HERMISTON, Ore.-Hermiston’s crime rate, including violent crime, is down.
The Hermiston Police Department released its third quarter crime statistics on October 12, which show the 10-year trends from 2017-2026.
In the past year, violent crime in Hermiston fell 20%, while the total crime rate dropped by 10% and is now down 12% from the 10-year average, according to the report.
Officer-initiated activity in Hermiston is up about 65% in the past year, from 12,201 instances in 2025 to 20,079 in 2026.
“This coupled with total arrests being up can be attributed to being adequately staffed where officers can be proactive versus completely reactive,” said Hermiston PD Chief Jason Edmiston, of the increase in officer-initiated activity.
Total arrests increased by 4% over the past year from 1,009 in 2025, to 1,052 in 2026.
Traffic stops in Hermiston also increased in the past year, rising from 5,621 in 2025 to 7,912 in 2026, a jump of over 40%, while total citations were up about 37% in the past year.
The HPD tracks all calls for service involving transients, and the most recent crime statistics show those calls trending downward, according to Chief Edmiston.
Calls involving transients in Hermiston fell to 20% in 2026, after holding steady at 25% every year from 2022 through 2025.
Larceny, the theft of personal property, also fell sharply by 14% in Hermiston over the past year.
