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RCMP calls for service up, but proactive efforts also up in NB

Third-quarter numbers are in for the Battlefords News-Optimist RCMP detachment and they show a significant increase in calls for service for the first nine months of the year.
Insp. Tom Beck provides his Battlefords RCMP Detachment report at city council’s Nov. 23 meeting. Sc
Insp. Tom Beck provides his Battlefords RCMP Detachment report at city council’s Nov. 23 meeting. Screenshot by John Cairns.

Third-quarter numbers are in for the Battlefords News-Optimist RCMP detachment and they show a significant increase in calls for service for the first nine months of the year.

But it was not all bad news, as the increase reflected greater proactive enforcement efforts in certain areas and there were also declines reported in several categories. The numbers were presented by Insp. Tom Beck at the North Battleford council meeting on Monday night. For the year up to the end of September, numbers for the City of North Battleford compared to 2019 saw calls for service go up from 17,487 to 20,547, up 17 per cent. Total files were up from 16,627 to 19, 651, up 18 per cent.

“We’re seeing a bit of proactive work being done,” said Beck.

He pointed to impaired operation of a motor vehicle as well as drugs/possession/trafficking. Impaired operation of motor vehicle offences are up from 107 to 216 while drug offences are up from 82 to 116.

He told council the Battlefords RCMP detachment has taken a “more aggressive proactive approach” in targeting gang members and drug traffickers in the community. 

That explained the rise in the drug offence numbers. Beck pointed to the old saying “things will get worse before it gets better” to describe that.

Beck also said the proactive work is happening not only with the Gang Task Force but also with the general duty members and the municipal general investigation unit members.

“They’re all stepping up and doing quite a bit of proactive stuff, whether it be curfew checks or impaired driving,” he said.

In general, councillors concurred with Beck’s assessment.

“There’s some sharp increases but all those categories seem to be in the right areas where we need to focus on in our community,” said Councillor Kelli Hawtin. She also suggested the proactive work might be working, because declines were being seen in other areas such as break and enters.

For the year up to the end of September, numbers for the City of North Battleford compared to 2019 are as follows: 

Persons defences are up from 786 to 879;

Business break and enters are down from 44 to 34;

Residential break and enters are down from 178 to 164;

Other break and enters are down from 49 to 22;

Property offences are down from 2245 to 2166; 

Criminal code offences are up from 1758 to 1935; 

Traffic collisions are down from 176 to 171;

Provincial traffic offences are down from 1670 to 1220;

Liquor related offences are down from 220 to 214.

Numbers presented for the third quarter (July 1 to the end of September 2020) for the City of North Battleford as compared to 2019 are the following: 

Total calls for service are up for the quarter from 4012 to 5305.

Declines were noted in the following categories: Persons offences are down from 280 to 188; business break and enters are down from 11 to 10; residential break and enters are down from 65 to 56; other break and enters are down from 11 to 5; criminal code offences are down from 712 to 685; and provincial traffic offences are down from 625 to 580. Liquor related offences are also down from 100 to 91.

Increases for the quarter were shown in the following categories: property offences up from 801 to 830; drug offences from 33 to 36; traffic collisions from 53 to 59; and impaired operation of a motor vehicle offences from 33 to 77.