Understanding Crime Rates in Benton County: What the Numbers Say

FOLEY (WJON News) -- Benton County crime numbers are relatively flat from 2024 to 2025.

In his annual report to the county board, Sheriff Troy Heck says there was no statistical change from year to year.

The 2025 data shows the number of reported crimes remains virtually unchanged from 2024, with a total of 13,614 critical incident reports. It's a decrease of 110 ICRs compared to 2024.

The top five reported crimes last year were harassment, followed by theft, domestic assault, fraud, and illegal dumping.

The Benton County Jail saw a small increase in the average daily population in 2025 of nearly three more inmates per day, compared to the year before, at just under 40 inmates per day.

The sheriff says managing individuals with mental illness in a jail setting continues to prove challenging for the safety of both the inmate and staff.

In 2025, Benton County saw a 15% increase in the number of permits to carry compared to 2024.

Sheriff Heck says their goals of recruiting and retaining staff remain a priority, as does community outreach and crime prevention.

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Filed Under: benton county sheriff's office