The final 2011 statistics from Battlefords City Detachment of the RCMP show property crimes and break and enters dropped for the year, but drug offences, liquor acts and motor vehicle collisions rose.
Still, even the increases were seen as positives as councillors at Monday's municipal services meeting welcomed the efforts to crack down on drug offences and other areas of crime.
The report was compiled by staff sergeant Phil Wilson and presented at the meeting by Sgt. Darcy Woolfitt.
There were 15,390 calls for service last year, up from 14,911 in 2010, but the good news for the RCMP is that 2011 saw declines in several categories.
Person offences declined from 964 in 2010 to 933, property offences were down from 2,838 to 2,683, business break and enters were down from 63 to 50 and residential break and enters were down from 168 to 99, a 41 per cent decline in that category.
Criminal code offences were up 13 per cent to 2,159 from 1881, and increases were noted in several other categories as well.
Provincial traffic offences were up 10 per cent, municipal bylaw offences up 16 per cent, impaired driving up 19 per cent, motor vehicle collisions up 28 per cent and liquor act offences up 30 per cent.
Seeing the most significant increase for the year were drug offences, up from 144 to 272 for a 47 per cent increase.
Woolfitt noted the increase in this category was a reflection of more opportunity by police to look into this area and credited Crime Stoppers with success in information gathering.
While the yearly numbers saw several declines, statistics from December 2011 saw a far less positive picture painted, with increases in most categories compared to December 2010.
Person offences were up in December to 78 from 60, residential break and enters up from three to seven, property offences up from 164 to 213, criminal code offences up from 120 to 165, drug offences way up from 12 to 37, liquor acts charges up from 19 to 41, provincial traffic offences up from 100 to 102 and impaired operation of a motor vehicle up from 22 to 31.
There were declines in business break and enters, down to zero from one in December 2010, and in municipal bylaw infractions from 13 to 11.
November numbers did show more marked declines in several areas, however, as person offences were down from 63 to 46, business break and enters down from five to two, residential break and enters down from 19 to five, property offences down from 184 to 162 and criminal code offences down from 125 to 115.
Fourth quarter crime statistics were also released showing that over a three-year period there have been slight increases in property and criminal code offences, while break and enters and crimes against the person remained stable.
There were 580 property offences recorded in the fourth quarter of 2009, 609 in the same period in 2010 and 610 in 2011.
Criminal code offences saw a rise from 402 in the fourth quarter of 2009 to 432 in 2010 and 484 in 2011. Drug offences were up considerably over the three years, up from 22 in the fourth quarter of 2009 to 95 in the fourth quarter of 2011.
Eleven foot patrols were recorded in December bringing the number for the year to 336.
The crime numbers were well received by Councillor Ron Crush, who welcomed declines for the year in break and enters, person and property offences.
Crush has been vocal in calling for the RCMP to have a more visible presence in the community and he made clear he believes those efforts are paying off.
"The statistics demonstrate a reaction to that visibility," Crush said. "There's been a concerted effort to be visible."
He also was not concerned about the increases in the other categories such as drug and liquor offences, because it meant there was "good policing" going on.
"I congratulate the members this year for putting together some pretty impressive statistics," said Crush.
