Repeat offenders driving break-ins, gun crime in North Battleford, RCMP say

“Responsible for dozens of break-ins was one person,” he said.

Crime trends show mixed results

Police data shows a five per cent increase in crimes against people in 2025, which How said remains consistent with longer-term averages. According to RCMP statistics, municipal detachment records show persons offences rose slightly from 1,305 incidents in 2024 to 1,324 in 2025.

How acknowledged the increase while signalling police intend to place more emphasis on prevention moving forward.

“But I have to be fully transparent that we have a lot of work to do,” he said. “There are still some serious persons crimes, obviously, in the city.”

He added the detachment plans to take a more proactive approach as staffing levels recover.

Firearms incidents remain a policing focus

How also flagged firearms offences as an ongoing concern, noting a large percentage increase during the final quarter of the year. He cautioned that while the increase appears dramatic, the actual number of incidents remains relatively small.

“It’s showing a 400 per cent increase [from one to five cases], but that’s really just in the Q4,” he said. “Clearly one is too many, but the drastic increase is only a four-point increase.”

He told council officers recently executed a search warrant that resulted in the seizure of guns and drugs from a commercial property, and also recovered a handgun following a police pursuit.

“We are seeing offenders that are continually engaging in firearms crime despite being arrested,” How said. “So we’re going to be monitoring that very close, and that’s going to be one of our focuses in the coming year.”

Property crime decline may not reflect reality

While statistics show a drop in property crime, How warned the data may not provide a complete picture.

Municipal RCMP records show property offences declined by roughly 18 per cent year-over-year, dropping from 3,907 incidents in 2024 to 3,196 in 2025.

Despite the decrease, How said underreporting remains a concern.

“Before we pat ourselves on the back and say that we’ve done a great job and that we’re decreasing property crime 17 per cent, which is showing in the Q4, we fully recognize that we still aren’t getting accurate reporting,” he said.

He encouraged residents to continue reporting suspicious activity and crimes, even if they appear minor.

“We need to have those reports so we can get police officers and resources in the areas that need it the most,” How said.

Community partnerships seen as key deterrent

How also highlighted the role of Citizens on Patrol, a volunteer-based program that works alongside police to monitor neighbourhoods and report suspicious behaviour.

“The decreases we’re seeing, definitely there’s a deterrence factor for having Citizens on Patrol even available beyond the valuable reports that they give us,” he said.

“Just having them out and about… they’re an extra set of eyes for us.”

RCMP share crime data such as stolen vehicle lists and patrol heat maps with the group to help guide volunteer patrols, he added.

Police workload remains high

How told council the detachment handled more than 26,000 files in 2025, ranging from traffic offences to serious violent crimes.

“The total files taken by the detachment last year was 26,334,” he said, noting each file can involve multiple follow-ups such as court appearances, subpoenas and additional statements.

He said the detachment also processed more than 3,400 prisoners over the year, adding further strain to policing resources.

Despite the challenges, How said RCMP remain focused on targeted enforcement, particularly against repeat offenders and violent crime, while continuing to rely on community reporting and partnerships to help improve public safety.

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung