What Happened in Bellingham on Friday, March 20th, 2026
Yesterday in Bellingham, police responded to 50 incidents, down 6% from 53 the day before. 5 violent crimes were reported, and officers made 10 arrests.
The most common incident type was Other Non-criminal, accounting for 12 of 50 reports (24% of total). The most active neighborhood was Downtown with 10 incidents.
Activity was roughly in line with the 30-day average of 49 incidents per day.
Incident Categories
Yesterday, Bellingham reported incidents across 8 categories. Other Non-criminal led with 12 incidents (24% of total), followed by Disorderly Behavior (Non-Physical) with 8 and Theft with 5.
Vehicle Related — up 100% over the past 7 days (7 incidents this week vs 0 the prior week).
Incident Category Breakdown
What's in “Other Non-criminal”?
Overview
Violent Crime
5 violent crimes were reported in Bellingham yesterday, accounting for 10% of all incidents. This is up 400% from the prior day.
| Time | Offense | Neighborhood | Block |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:39 | ASSAULT - Misdemeanor | Birchwood | 2700 W Maplewood Ave |
| 18:47 | ASSAULT - Misdemeanor | Lettered Streets | 600 W Holly St |
| 20:36 | BURGLARY | South Bellingham | 1200 Chuckanut Dr N |
| 21:12 | ASSAULT - Felony | Birchwood | 2700 W Maplewood Ave |
| 21:56 | ASSAULT - Misdemeanor | Puget | 1700 E Maple St |
Arrests
Bellingham police made 10 arrests yesterday, involving 10 individuals. 3 arrests were related to violent incidents.
Arrests accounted for 20% of all incidents. Of the 10 arrests, 3 were Driving Under the Influence, 2 were Assault — Misdemeanor, and 2 were Theft. This is down 17% from the 12 arrests the prior day.
| Time | Offense | Category | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:37 | DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE | Driving Under the Influence | Columbia |
| 00:59 | DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE | Driving Under the Influence | Barkley |
| 10:40 | VIOLATION OF A COURT ORDER | Court Order Violations | Downtown |
| 11:39 | ASSAULT - MisdemeanorViolent | Assault — MisdemeanorViolent | Birchwood |
| 13:07 | THEFT | Theft | Meridian |
| View All | |||
Neighborhood Activity
Yesterday, incidents were reported across 15 neighborhoods in Bellingham. Downtown had the highest activity with 10 incidents, followed by Meridian with 8 and Barkley with 6.
2 specific locations have appeared in the top 10 most active blocks for 4 or more of the last 7 days, including 2900 Squalicum Pkwy (6 of 7 days).
Explore all neighborhoods and their trends in Bellingham Neighborhood Safety. →
Hourly Breakdown
Activity in Bellingham yesterday peaked between 10 AM – 11 AM with 6 incidents during that hour. The quietest period was 1am with no incidents reported.
Overnight (12–6 AM) saw 4 incidents, morning (6 AM–12 PM) had 14, afternoon (12–6 PM) had 15, and evening (6 PM–12 AM) had 17. Evening was the busiest period overall.
Fridays in Bellingham typically average 49 incidents. Yesterday's total of 50 is 1 incident above that 8-week average (1% higher).
How Does This Compare?
The 7-day rolling average is 49.9 incidents per day, above the 30-day average of 48.9 — suggesting a busier-than-normal stretch.
Key Patterns
This Week Is Pacing Higher Than Last
Through Friday (5 days), this week has recorded 262 incidents — 13% more than the 232 reported at the same point last week. If the pace holds, the week could finish well above last week’s total.
Downtown: Most Active for 8 Straight Days
Downtown has been the most active neighborhood for 8 consecutive days. Today it logged 10 incidents (20% of the city total).
Vehicle Related Up 100% This Week
Vehicle Related incidents have risen sharply: 7 in the past 7 days compared to 0 the prior 7 days — a 100% increase. Today alone saw 2 vehicle related incidents.
Full Incident Log
This log contains all 50 incidents reported to the Bellingham Police Department on Friday, March 20th, 2026. Published Saturday, March 21st, 2026.
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