Low Crime in Happy Valley

     The Happy Valley neighborhood is home to 7,059 residents living within 633 acres making it the most densely populated neighborhood in Bellingham, according to the 2010 United States census. The majority of the other 25 neighborhood populations range from about 2,000 to 5,000 people living in similar or larger sized neighborhood boundaries.  
     Only about 3.1 percent of all reported crimes including theft, traffic offenses, domestic violence and malicious mischief committed in Bellingham since 2007 have occurred in Happy Valley, according to the Bellingham Police crime statistics.  
     Although the crime rate is low and many residents view Happy Valley as a safe neighborhood, other residents such as Sonja Duncan said the neighborhood has excessive noise and nuisance problems involving large parties.
     Duncan was taking a leisurely bath at her home late one evening in May when she heard noise coming from downstairs.  Assuming it was her cat knocking things over or her son sleep walking she threw on a T-shirt and underwear and opened the bathroom door to find an unfamiliar young man standing in front of her.  
     "He swayed backwards and I realized he was blind drunk," she said.  
     She ran past him, purposefully knocking him over.  She grabbed her phone and ran into her sons' room to call the police.  
     Police found the man on the side of the road and arrested him on suspicion of criminal trespassing, according to the Bellingham daily police report. 
     Duncan said this incident is a reflection of the problem of "party crimes" in Happy Valley.  She said most often the problem is loud noise but occasionally there are nights when "people get mean" and bash in mailboxes or damage property.  
     "Many of us [in the neighborhood] have a lot of tolerance for behavior, we understand these are college kids," she said.  "But this is not okay." 
     Wendy Borgesen, who has lived in Happy Valley for about 20 years, is also concerned with crimes that take place on the weekends when some students party.
     She said there is yelling and screaming Friday and Saturday nights on a regular basis.  
     "But my biggest concern is when people drive drunk," she said. 
      Some students have told her to call them if they are too loud and she said she appreciates that.  
     "It's not that we don't like students," she said.  "We just want them to be respectful.  I would like for people to be more aware of each other and have peaceful co-existance."  
     Borgesen said the only other incident of crime she has experienced was in 2002 when her house was broken into and bonds and money were stolen.  Although a victim of burglary, Borgesen said she thinks it was an isolated incident and she is more concerned with "party crimes." 
     Mark Young, Bellingham Police Public Information Officer, said historically the three most reported crimes in Happy Valley are traffic offenses, nuisance and noise complaints.  
     For general crime prevention, including party nuisance and noise, Young suggests reporting any suspicious persons or situations, keeping porch lights on, doors locked and not keeping valuables in unattended vehicles.  
     He said, "These are very general tips but very helpful in reducing the risk of being victim of crime."