Strathmore crime on downward trend

By Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean Times Contributor

Most crime in Strathmore and surrounding areas is down, according to statistics provided by RCMP to Strathmore town council on Oct. 2.
Strathmore RCMP Staff Sergeant Sukh Randhawa said that during the second quarter of 2019, RCMP received 114 calls regarding property crimes, demonstrating a 35 per cent decline over the five-year average, and calls relating to criminal offences were down 17 per cent over the year and 23 per cent over the five-year average.
“Second quarter stats were, overall, very positive for April, May and June 2019. Personal crimes were down by 16 per cent from last year and overall down 37 per cent over the five-year average,” added Randhawa. “For the property crime, which includes break and enters, theft over $5,000, theft from motor vehicles and possession of stolen property, (reported incidents) all trended downwards for quarter two, as compared to last year.”
While the year-over-year trend for all property crime is down, including break and enter by 29 per cent, the year-to-date average for break and enter in the second quarter increased by 38 per cent. Break and enters include businesses and property where no one is present during the break in, such as a detached garage or a business break-in after hours. The third quarter shows these numbers going downward again.
The third quarter report, covering July, August and September, shows a similar trend of fewer reports of property crime. Reports of drug crime, including possession with intent to traffic, have decreased over 70 per cent from last year and over 80 per cent on the five-year average. The large decrease is mostly due to the legalization of cannabis.
Personal crime did show an increase from last year’s third quarter by five per cent, but is still showing a decline of two per cent on the five-year average.
So, recently I had an operRandhawa said Strathmore RCMP detachment focuses on three priorities for its annual performance plan: police visibility, crime reduction and employee wellness. He said they are on track to meet these priorities as they move into the fourth quarter.
“We are a part of a team,” he said. “We have shown our presence doing check stops, school zone patrols, school events, social events, and meet and greets, and we have shown enhanced policing in the community.”
The Strathmore detachment recently welcomed a general duty constable who transferred from a region in B.C. The detachment is also expecting two corporal supervisors in the coming months; the first will be joining the detachment in November and a second corporal supervisor in January 2020.