Although the numbers may not immediately show it, the 2013 activity report for the Estevan Police Service was highlighted by a number of positive trends.
In an interview with The Mercury Monday, Chief Del Block noted that the overall volume of calls for the EPS was up from 2012. While that could be cause for alarm, Block said a big reason for the increase was the department's continued focus on traffic offences and that more serious offences such as break and enter and assault, dropped in 2013.
According to information from the EPS, officers responded to 9,177 calls, which was up from the 8,627 they had in 2012. The number of charges laid also spiked, rising to 4,654 in 2013 from 3,602 the previous year.
As Block noted, traffic offences were up by a large margin in 2013. After handling 2,475 provincial traffic offences in 2012, the EPS dealt with 3,955 in 2013, an increase of 60 per cent. Block said the increase is a direct result of having officers dedicated to a traffic unit over 2013.
"In 2013, we had full-time traffic for the whole year where we had just started it at the tail end of 2012," said Block. "There is no doubt in my mind that having that full-time traffic section out there and having people dedicated to traffic enforcement is paying off.
"I have also had feedback from the public, who have said they have seen a difference in traffic in this town because of the enforcement. That is the feedback you want to hear."
Although there was a slight drop in criminal code traffic offences such as driving while suspended and failing to remain at the scene of an accident, there was a sharp increase in traffic bylaw offences.
Most worrisome for the EPS, however, is the continued increase in drunk driving offences. In 2013, there were 226 offences, compared to 98 in 2012.
Block said although part of the increase was because of the department's continued focus on the issue and other programs, it remains painfully clear that Estevan drivers simply are not getting the message about drunk driving.
"Those are huge numbers. People are still taking the risk of driving after they have been drinking and I am not sure why. We are not getting the point across and I am not sure what the next steps are.
"We have more police officers out there more often now and we also have the (Report Impaired Drivers) program, which is working, but those are big numbers. And we know that we are not getting them all; there are still others out there and it's astounding that people will still take that chance."
Aside from traffic, there were a number of decreases in 2013. Provincial statutes cases, which include everything from liquor offences to trespassing, were down by 276; other criminal offences were down by 53; sexual offences declined from 24 to 15 and crimes against the person dropped from 155 to 124.
Other highlights included:
assaults dropped from 162 in 2012 to 132;
theft under $5,000 declined from 277 to 211;
thefts over $5,000 dropped from 38 to 27;
possession of stolen goods went from 26 to 12;
mischief and willful damage cases dropped from 270 to 175 and
break and enters into homes and businesses dropped from 63 to 37.
Block added that charges related to illicit drugs in the city remain a concern. Although trafficking charges were down by 15, possession charges increased from 76 in 2012 to 109 in 2013.
"Crimes against property and persons, it's nice to see those charges coming down," Block said. "We were going the wrong way on violent crimes. We were on the high end of the Crime Severity Index but this year we should be dropping off significantly.
"It's nice to see the decreases. Now will they remain that way? That will tell the tale if they continue to decline or spike again."
Block said much like traffic, having the proper resources available is a primary reason for the positive trend. He added the slowdown in the oilfield in 2013 was likely a contributing factor.
Looking to the remainder of 2014, Block said the traffic unit will remain in place. The battle against the drug trade will also remain a priority.
"We'll never eliminate it, but we will try and make it as difficult to operate as we can."
