The Battlefords RCMP are reporting an overall increase in calls for service for the City of North Battleford in their recent report to council.
The city saw a 17 per cent increase in the year-to-date tally, up to 12,384 from 10,616 last year. The third quarter tally, from July 1 to Sept. 30, was 5,305 compared to 4,012 from the same time in 2019.
Battlefords RCMP Insp. Tom Beck said increased numbers in the total calls for service, including some categories such as impaired driving and drug-related tallies for example, likely reflect more proactive policing.
He said the local RCMP and the RCMP Gang Task Force have a more aggressive approach in targeting gang members and drug traffickers in its policing that is seeing positive results.
Local RCMP staffing levels has been favourable as well as a help.
“As far as resourcing is concerned we are in pretty good shape overall,” he added. “We don’t have any more vacancies, with the exception of one corporal [position] we just filled.”
The categories that experienced the largest jump were impaired driving related cases at 216 reports for the year to date, compared to 107 for the same time in 2019, a 103 per cent rise. For the July to September period, the third quarter had 77 reports, more than double an increase from 33 reports for the same period last year.
Mental Health Act reports increased by 58 per cent, at 462 cases for the current year to date, versus 291 in 2019. The third quarter saw an increase to 154 reports, compared to 105 for the period in 2019.
Drug related reports saw an increase by 41 per cent for the year to date numbers, at 116 reports in the current year to date, compared to 82 last year. The third quarter saw a smaller increase, at 36 reports compared to 33 last year.
Categories that experienced a decrease include what is called break and enter – other. Twenty two reports were received for the year to date compared to 49 for the same time last year. The third quarter period saw a decrease to five reports for the current period, compared to 11 for the same time in 2019.
Business break and enters decreased by 23 per cent, with 34 reported for the 2020 year to date, compared to 44 for the same time last year. For the third quarter, numbers decreased to 10 reports from 11 in 2019.
The report also shows total persons arrested and held for the entire Battlefords detachment area was down by 18 per cent for the year to date count, January to September, compared to last year. It was also lower in the third quarter results.
Beck said the total local prisoner count here would be down for this time typically due to COVID-19 protocols in place this year.
“We haven’t seen as many people being transported here for court,” he said, adding this would be one of the main reasons.
Many are being held in centralized remand centres outside the community while awaiting court appearances.
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