The Estevan Police Service continues to see an increase in call volumes and Criminal Code charges.
According to the monthly crime numbers released at last week's meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners, officers received 690 calls for service in March, down from 710 calls in March 2019.
But the EPS had 2,145 calls in the first three months of the year, an 11 per cent increase from the 1,932 they had in the first three months of 2019.
Fourteen crimes against the person were reported in March, with 11 assaults and three sexual crimes. So far this year, there have been 36 crimes against the person, with 27 assaults, seven sexual crimes and two assaults causing bodily harm.
There were 27 crimes against the person in the first three months last year.
The EPS also had 31 crimes against property in March, with 17 thefts under $5,000, 11 mischief/willful damage calls, two residential break and enters and one theft of a motor vehicle. So far this year, there have been 91 crimes against property, with 41 mischief/willful damage complaints and 37 thefts under $5,000 leading the way.
In the first three months of 2019, there were 57 crimes against property.
Nine charges were laid under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA) in March, with five for trafficking and four for possession. Fifteen charges were laid in the first three months of the year, including eight for trafficking and seven for possession.
Last year there were five CDSA charges in the first three months of the year.
The EPS had 11 Criminal Code Traffic Violations in March with six for impaired or exceeding related offences, four impaired by drug and one for dangerous driving or other.
In the first three months of the year, there were 32 charges, with 25 for impaired or exceed related offences, six for impairment by drug and one for dangerous driving or other.
Last year saw 24 such charges in the first three months.
While the EPS has had a lot of low-priority calls and traffic infractions so far this year, the number of low-priority calls is down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Right now members have been directed to certainly enforce traffic stops, for example, but not minor traffic violations. That has changed just recently, but under the early stage of this, with the close contact restrictions and so forth being in place, they certainly weren’t encouraged to go stop vehicles just at random,” said Police Chief Paul Ladouceur.
***
The monthly report for Spec. Const. Morgan Prentice, the city’s bylaw officer, shows that she had 181 infractions and occurrences in March. The vast majority of them were unkempt property inspections (87) and parking violations (62). She also had 18 animal calls.
Ladouceur said Prentice is doing a great job and is out in the community, so much so that the EPS is getting complaint calls about her work.
“Most of the complaints are in relation to her simply enforcing the bylaws. You can’t have it both ways.”
***
The police chief also addressed the recent shooting rampage in rural Nova Scotia that left 22 people dead. He pointed out this is a reminder that such an incident can happen at any time or anywhere.
“Often times we see that the police are at the forefront when lives are lost, but I think any life is as important to another,” said Ladouceur.
He also thanked the police board for their support to help prepare members for potential incidents that may arise, by providing them with the necessary equipment and by creating special sections.
“It’s incidents like this that remind us of the importance of having insurance,” said Ladouceur.
If something were to happen, Ladouceur believes the EPS is prepared thanks to the support from the police board and the community.
