(Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

RCMP report

RCMP sees more calls for service for North Battleford

Apr 27, 2021 | 3:28 PM

The Battlefords RCMP is experiencing a slightly higher volume of calls for service for the City of North Battleford, based on the latest crime report tally for the period.

Staff Sgt. Jason Teniuk, acting Detachment Commander for the Battlefords RCMP, gave a report on the first quarter stats from January to March for the city at this week’s council meeting.

“We have been seeing calls decline; now we are starting to see calls incline again,” he said. “The good news about that is the veracity and the seriousness of those calls isn’t quite where I’ve seen it in past years. So that’s encouraging to me.”

North Battleford received 3,315 calls for service for the period in 2021, compared to 3,269 for the same time last year.

Property offences overall increased by seven per cent, with 773 reports for the period this year, compared to 723 for the same time in 2020.

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Break and enters to businesses increased by 14 per cent, with 16 reports for 2021 versus 14 in 2020.

However, as a positive sign residential break and enters saw a notable decrease, with 24 reports in 2021 compared to 65 last year, a 63 per cent drop.

Thefts were down by 19 per cent, with 182 reports this year compared to 226 in 2020.

Impaired driving related offences declined by 34 per cent, with 47 reports for 2021 versus 71 for the same time in 2020.

The number of collisions was down by about a third, with 44 reports in 2021 versus 72 last year.

But speeding incidents were up, with 102 reports for 2021 versus 27 last year.

Mental Health Act related calls were up by 23 per cent, with 151 reports in 2021 compared to 123 for the same time in 2020.

Teniuk said the detachment is well prepared to head into a busy summer season, and “in good shape in terms of our resources.”

He noted the new First Nation Community Policing Unit is gradually starting to get moving now.

“We have one of the positions staffed with a full-time member, and he is just hitting the ground here,” he said. “So we are slowly starting to get that going.”

As well, Teniuk mentioned the Police and Crisis Team (PACT), a partnership between the RCMP and mental health experts, continues to stay busy responding to calls.

“That is still keeping us afloat in terms of the Mental Health Act calls for service,” he said. “That saves us a great deal of time. I’m a big proponent of that program. I’m very happy with the way it’s going.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @OCoureurDesBois