RCMP updates council

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter

 

Staff Sgt. Kevin Reilly was before council to provide an update on the RCMP over the last seven months. He ran through stats from April 1, 2013 to the end of October of the same year and compared them to the same timeframe in 2014.
“I should mention I’m not a big stats guy. Stats can be manipulated, they can make them sound good or bad just depending on how you approach them,” said Reilly.
“I’m providing stats, I can give you numbers, but when you say they’re down 15 per cent, if it’s one out of 10 down, it’s 10 per cent so its not that big of a thing, but if its 10 out of 100 it’s a little more significant.”
Collisions are down 15 per cent; impaired driving was down 25 per cent;
Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle reported is down 50 per cent, last year there were 14 reported, and this year there were seven.
Liquor charges are up 40 per cent, which Reilly said was from 15 to 28, and could be anything from open liquor, to intoxicated in public places, charges from bars being unruly and refusing to leave and so on. Criminal Code cases reported are down approximately 20 per cent; drug charges and reports for drugs are similar this year to last.
Assaults are down approximately 10 per cent, about 210 in 2013 to 180 in 2014. Thefts are also down by approximately 40 per cent, from 270 to 165. Mischief by approximately 35 per cent, from 240 to about 140; and reported cases of break and enter are down about 50 per cent, from about 60 last year, to 30 in 2014.
Traffic violations and tickets are similar to this time last year excluding the enhanced traffic program. Reilly said he didn’t want to get things confused, and felt it was a separate issue to discuss.
There were a couple major incidences that occurred in the April to October timeframe. One was the suspicious death in May, with the body found in an alleyway close to the library, and the other were two armed robberies.
Cpl. Shannon White heads the Crime Reduction Unit, out of which the DARE and Neighbourhood Watch programs are run, and the habitual offenders program. White keeps track of a total of 12 habitual offenders at one time. Over the timeframe she has watched 22 total, some have reoffended, some have left Strathmore, and others are incarcerated.
Reilly spoke of a couple of incidences where White’s focus on the Crime Reduction Unit has been an asset.
“Break and enters (B&E) are a big issue I think in any community at any time. We’ve certainly seen a decrease in them, but there are a couple of incidences that happened,” said Reilly.
“We had a ring of B&E artists, or break and enter guys, that were coming out from Calgary earlier in the year. We worked with Calgary Police Service, identified that these subjects were the same and with their (CPS) help, and our assistance working together, we were able to get them located, identified, arrested and charged.”
There was a second, even more worrisome incident with an individual going into senior residences. That person was also identified, located, arrested and charged.
Another case that came across White’s desk was a case of vehicle thefts. It started out as just a couple, and then it was determined there were 10 vehicles stolen by the same perpetrators. At the time the one of the suspects was identified there were three vehicles that hadn’t been reported yet.
“That crime reduction position has really done a fabulous job, certainly has exceeded my expectations,” said Reilly.
Lastly he spoke about the enhanced traffic program that finished at the end of September.
The RCMP averaged five shifts a month over the six-month period. There were 306 violations in total, a majority of which were for speeding, confirming the beliefs by mayor and council that most of the speeding does happen on Hwy #1.
“There were certainly other areas that had other violations, but the main one was Hwy #1. I think we all understood that, and this kind of proved it,” said Reilly.
The number of violation tickets covered the cost of the program and was a success in his opinion.
“If you were interested in proceeding with it, I think it’s a good thing, it certainly something that I believe showed up in our stats that I talked to you about. Collisions obviously are down 15 per cent, I think that was part of that program and having members out there,” said Reilly.
He thinks by having the RCMP out and being seen it has had an impact on some other violation reductions in town. One person pulled over for a simple seatbelt ticket, then turned into drugs, cash, four prohibited weapons and three automatic rifles being seized. That case is now before the courts.
He originally estimated about $4,000 a month for the program, but now would suggest $2,400 with the shifts is more likely. He would also like to see an administrative cost of $400 added, making it $2,800.
The support staff time to enter the tickets, if looking at 50-60 per month, is four to five hours, approximately $400, which would also be paid for through the tickets written.
Councillor Bob Sobol asked for the program, and a new agreement to come back to council in January.