|
In general, violent crime is low in the Coachella Valley, including unincorporated communities like Thousand Palms and Bermuda Dunes. Most of the area's criminal activity centers around personal property, including larcenies and burglaries, according to the Uniform Crime Reports supplied by the federal Justice Department. California's crime rate has fallen in recent years, and the valley crime rates have mirrored that trend.
For fire protection, the area is covered by Riverside County and the California Department of Forestry. The cities contract with Riverside County to provide fire protection services. The fire fighters in these areas are state employees and are trained to fight both wilderness and structure fires.
Coachella Valley residents' police protection is provided by city departments or the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. In the valley, the cities of Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Indio operate their own departments. The cities of Coachella, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage contract with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department to provide peace officers. The Sheriff's department covers the unincorporated areas, and the highways are monitored by the California Highway Patrol.
|