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Rural area calls up for RCMP while down in city
By Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
Cranbrook RCMP Detachment remains a busy one as 2016 rounds the half way point, even though calls to service are down over this time last year within city limits.
RCMP officers have fielded 1,576 calls so far this year, compared to 1,705 last year.
However, calls to service are up in the detachment’s rural areas by four per cent, with 526 so far this year compared to 504 in 2015, City of Cranbrook council learned July 18 when Detachment Commander S/Sgt. Hector Lee presented second quarter statistics.
The “slight increase” in rural calls is likely a result of officers being more proactive in policing those areas, Lee said.
The detachment has noted a 14% decrease so far this year over last in person offences such as assaults, sexual assaults, assault with a weapon, robbery, threats and criminal harassment.
Property related offences such as break, enter and theft, mischief to property and thefts are also down eight per cent over last year with 334 calls compared to 362 last year.
One alarming increase in property offences is five arson files so far in the first half of the year compared to none last year.
“We’ve had a few dumpster fires,” Lee said, explaining that three of them were related to the same youth who was caught. Police spoke the child’s parents about the acts, he said.
Lee also noted a “huge increase in shop lifting offences,” with 44 year-to-date. The increase could be due to more people stealing things or it could also be related to better security technology in stores.
Another head-scratcher statistic is the increase in alcohol related motor vehicle crashes, Lee told council. Vehicle stop checks are “up dramatically” as RCMP maintains vigilance in keeping the roads safe but crashes involving impaired drivers is up 21% over last year at this time, with 11 compared to four in 2015. The increase confounds the detachment commander. “I can’t explain it,” he said.
Another dramatic increase in calls is in the Mental Health Act realm, Lee told council. So far this year the RCMP have handled 265 calls compared to 176 last year.
“That tells you where the trend is and how a lot of our time is being spent,” he said, adding he is hoping to have an officer focus on Mental Health Act issues.
As for manpower at the detachment, Lee noted, “We’ve had quite a turnover” of officers in the past year. He told council he expects to lose a couple more officers later this summer and have replacements arrive in the city, as well. There are currently two vacancies – one for a corporal and one for a constable.
Lee said officers are conducting more foot patrols and bar walks, too.
Drug files are almost identical to last year at this time, with 49 compared to 50.
Lee told council he and other detachment commanders are awaiting word from above on how to proceed with marijuana files, with legalization pending.
“It will take a while before it all takes effect. Everyone is waiting for somebody to pull the trigger and make a decision,” he said, noting police have been discussing the matter the past four to five years.
“They use their discretion very well,” he said of his officers when they handle marijuana offences.
“For someone to get a criminal record for a couple of joints, to me, is not right” at this time, he said.
A new aspect to policing at the detachment involves a new unit called Digital Crime Assistance based out of Cranbrook but working with other areas as well.
“It’s a test for now,” Lee said, adding, “They only started up a month ago and they are hopping; they’re busy. They are trying to develop experts here and regionalize it.”
