People in North Battleford are having a harder and harder time believing crime is going down.
The statistical data for February for Battlefords RCMP detachment confirms most crime categories in the city are showing an increase from the same month a year ago.
The statistical numbers, compiled by the RCMP in Regina, were received at the monthly planning committee meeting of council Monday. In his written report, Battlefords RCMP Insp. John Sutherland confirmed that overall, crime (excluding provincial traffic offences and non-offence codes) has increased by 12 per cent in the year to date.
He stated violent crime has increased by 48 per cent due to a 62 per cent increase in common assault, with 39 reported at this point in 2014 compared to 63 in 2015. There was also a 108 per cent increase in uttering threats, with 12 reported at this point in 2014 compared to 25 in 2015. According to Insp. Sutherland’s report, five involved Facebook, two were through text messaging and the rest were made primarily in person.
Also, his report stated 47 victims of violent crime had a familial or intimate (eg. Girlfriend or boyfriend) relationship to the subject of complaint.
Part of the blame for the rise in assaults and uttering threats may be due to the winter weather. “A lot of them seem to be related to folks who have substance abuse problems. The close confines probably lead to an increase in those throughout the winter,” said Insp. Sutherland.
The February numbers follow on the heels of January numbers that also saw increases in various crime categories.
While the numbers look discouraging, Sutherland cautioned it is still early.
“These are still early statistics and so it’s really too small a statistical sample to tell what’s happening,“ Sutherland said.
Sutherland told the committee he has put in a request to the crime analysts in Regina for a comparison to last year, as well as whether an upward trend is happening in the rest of the country.
For the month of February, there are increases in person offences to 55 (from 40 in February 2014), in residential break and enters to four (from three), in property offences to 135 (from 115), in criminal code offences to 91 (from 72), in drug offences to eight (from seven) and in impaired operation of a motor vehicle to 14 (from 13).
Business break and enters remain the same, at two for the month. Provincial traffic offences are also up to 97 from 83, and motor vehicle collisions up from 11 to 41. Down for the month, however, are Liquor Act infractions from 19 to 15.
Combined with the January numbers, Battlefords RCMP are seeing an overall change for the year as follows for each of the categories:
Person offences up 43 per cent, business break and enters up 100 per cent, residential break and enters up 30 per cent, property offences up nine per cent, criminal code offences up 21 per cent, drug offences down 14 per cent, liquor act offences down eight per cent, motor vehicle collisions up 121 per cent, provincial traffic offences down 15 per cent, impaired operation of a motor vehicle down five per cent, municipal bylaws down 29 per cent and calls for assistance down 15 per cent.
Overall, calls for service for the year are down from 1,681 to 1,419, with 656 calls for service received in February. The drop has been attributed to occurrence reports no longer generated for each background or criminal record check done by the detachment, and was expected to continue throughout the year.
The RCMP report also focused on some of the active involvement by the RCMP in the community including regular involvement in organized sports and various presentations made.
Last weekend saw the RCMP Ball held in the city that attracted some 160 people to the area. The silent auction at the event raised $1,680 for the Lighthouse.
As well, Sutherland noted work has begun with Community Safety Co-ordinator Herb Sutton on Crime Free Multi Housing and the community safety audit, and those programs are starting to move forward.
There were 15 foot patrols of the detachment and downtown core recorded in February, and the RCMP continue to ensure a visible presence with vehicle patrols.
