(Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

In the chambers

Impaired driving, drug-related calls up in RCMP report for 2020 tally in city

Jan 26, 2021 | 10:00 AM

The City of North Battleford saw a 12 per cent overall increase in calls for service for 2020, based on the latest RCMP report.

Battlefords RCMP Inspector Tom Beck presented the report at Monday’s city council meeting, reflecting the 2020 tallies and the fourth quarter numbers, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31.

“[It’s] pretty much par for the course, as we have been seeing our calls for service increase year to year,” he said of the overall rise in numbers last year compared to 2019.

Beck said there were no significant changes in any kind of crime trends apparent from the numbers overall.

Impaired driving reports went up by 59 per cent last year, at 273 calls in 2020, compared to 172 in 2019. For the fourth quarter, numbers actually dropped slightly, to 53 for Oct. to Dec., from 65 for the same period in 2019.

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Drug-related reports increased by 20 per cent in 2020, with 149 calls, compared to 124 in 2019. For Oct. to Dec., numbers decreased to 30 in 2020, from 42 the same time the prior year.

Calls related to the Mental Health Act saw a 43 per cent increase. The 2020 year-end showed 620 total calls, compared to 433 in 2019. For Oct. to Dec., the count also went up, with 156 reports for the period in 2020, compared to 142 for the same time in 2019.

The year saw reports of crimes against persons increase by 12 per cent in 2020.

As well, property offences, including theft, increased by eight per cent over the prior year’s reports. The fourth quarter also increased, with 833 calls in 2020, compared to 649 the same time in 2019.

Provincial traffic offences increased by 23 per cent in 2020.

On the positive side, break and enters were down in all categories last year. Residential saw an 11 per cent decline, business eight per cent, and “other” offences in this group decreased by 33 per cent.

Looking ahead, Beck said the RCMP plan to include a five-year trend, as part of the RCMP report to council in the future, starting this year.

“I want to be able to give council a better look at what the actual crime trends look like,” he said.

A new initiative, the RCMP plan to start a First Nations Community Policing Unit that will launch the first week of February, 2021.

“[It] will be providing basically enhanced policing to our neighbouring Indigenous communities around the city of North Battleford,” Beck said.

The unit is being staffed with provincial resources.

Coun. Len Taylor mentioned he was pleased to hear of the new First Nations initiative coming together for the area.

Mayor David Gillan inquired about the RCMP’s annual performance plan that is coming up for renewal at the end of March 2021, and the opportunity for city input. Usually the RCMP meets with area community leaders when preparing its plan, which identifies local policing priorities. In 2020 a meeting was not possible due to COVID-19 restrictions. Beck expects this year the consultation likely will be able to take place with area leaders online via Zoom.

The current RCMP priorities for 2020-2021 are improving road safety, as well as preventing and reducing the threat of gangs and gang violence. Another priority the RCMP are focusing on includes working to advance reconciliation efforts with Indigenous communities for the future, as part of their vision 150 goals.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW