Crime numbers are continuing an upward climb this year in North Battleford.
Statistical data for the city detachment for the month of March, as well as first-quarter data for the same period, show the same story — numbers are up in most of the major crime categories, with the exception of traffic and impaired operation offences, which are seeing declines.
The numbers were presented as part of the monthly report by Battlefords RCMP detachment to the City’s Planning Committee meeting Monday.
In March, person offences are up to 71 from 45 the same month a year ago; break and enter - business are down to two from four; break and enter - residence are up to nine from five; property offences are up to 187 from 178, criminal code offences are up to 153 from 123; and drug offences were up to 20 from 14.
Liquor act violations are also up to 52 from 32, and motor vehicle collisions are up to 27 from 19.
Declines were posted in provincial traffic offences to 110 from 199. Impaired operation of a motor vehicle were also down to 19 from 25 and municipal bylaws offences down to eight from nine.
Overall, calls for service are down to 914 from 1,086 for the month, a reflection of changes brought in this year in which occurrence reports are no longer generated for each background or criminal record check done by the detachment.
Numbers for the first three months of 2015 were also not very encouraging in some of the crime categories.
Person offences were up 44 per cent to 196 from 136. Break and enter - business were unchanged at six. Break and enter - residence were up 38 per cent to 18 from 13.
Property offences are up eight per cent to 486 from 450. Criminal code offences are up 24 per cent to 358 from 288. Drug offences are up three per cent to 38 from 37; liquor act violations are up 19 per cent to 96 from 81 and motor vehicle collisions are up 84 per cent to 94 from 51.
Seeing declines so far in 2015 are provincial traffic offences from 416 to 297, down 29 per cent, impaired operation of a motor vehicle, down 10 per cent from 62 to 56, and municipal bylaws infractions down 24 per cent from 33 to 25.
Overall, calls for service are down for the first three months of the year at 2,640 from 2,768.
Statistical numbers for the first quarter, January to March, confirm the upward trend compared to last year, though person offences, residential break and enters and property offences are still down from 2013 numbers.
2013 recorded 278 person offences, 24 residential break and enters and 537 property offences. But the 321 offences in the Criminal Code category in 2013 are still lower from the 358 recorded in 2015, which means the 2015 numbers represent a two-year high in that category.
There was concern from council about the increases in some of the crime categories, but the feeling was it was still too soon to draw any conclusions about whether it was a permanent trend. The numbers could be a reflection of greater enforcement activity by the RCMP in these areas.
City manager Jim Puffalt noted “we’ve been able to divert time away from minor crimes to allow the RCMP to spend more time with the more serious crimes, and that may be part of why we are seeing an increase”.
Councillor Ryan Bater suggested the milder weather in 2015 played a role as well.
“January, February, March and April 2014 were incredibly cold,” said Bater. “March this year was a lot milder so it doesn’t surprise me to see an increase from last year to this year.”
