RCMP release crime stats for Grand Forks in 2017
By Boundary Sentinel
Grand Forks RCMP released its Crime statistics and Calls for Service for the past year in a media release Wednesday.
RCMP said in 2017 several Crime Reduction strategies were introduced at Boundary Regional RCMP in Grand Forks.
“We saw an increase in Property Crime in the area and we focused on recommending charges on prolific and problematic offenders,” the release said.
“Overall calls for service were up 12%. Some of the increase can be attributed to an increased amount of criminal activity and some can be attributed to encouraging people to report crime and provide evidence for charges.”
Police said this resulted in an increase in crime statistics (especially property crime).
- Overall Criminal offences were up 7% from 2016
- Overall Property Crime offences were up 16% from 2016
- Overall calls for service were up 12% from 2016
Calls for Service increased from 3000 (2016) to 3353 (2017).
Of these calls for service:
- 168 were false/abandoned 911 calls
- 216 were False Alarms 93 were Animal calls
- 292 were Traffic calls
- Criminal Code offences were up 7% from 2016 (188 to 201 instances)
- Violent Crime offences were down 16% from 2016 (37 to 31 instances)
- Property Crime offences were up 16% from 2016 (119 to 138 instances)
- In 2016 Grand Forks RCMP responded to 14 Human Deaths, in 2017 we responded to 31 Human Deaths. Some of this increase is related to the opioid crisis.
- In 2016 161 calls directly involved the Mental Health Act.
- In 2017 179 calls directly involved the Mental Health Act. This does not include files where there was a Mental Health component to the investigation. Approximately 20% of all files in Grand Forks have a Mental Health component.
- In 2016 257 prisoners were lodged in the Grand Forks RCMP Detachment.
- In 2017 193 prisoners were lodged in the Grand Forks RCMP Detachment.
Police resources were diminished almost the entire year due to injuries, deployments and other factors. Approximately 370 hours of policing was lost to the 2017 Interface fire deployments.
Major initiatives that are currently operating/in progress and existing working relationships: Citizens on Patrol for Grand Forks and Christina Lake
- Restorative Justice Program with Crown Counsel – Boundary
- Restorative Justice Society School Liaison, DARE program and youth safety education.
- Block Watch
- 529 Garage program for bike thefts.
- Creation of the Pawnbroker Bylaw
- Prolific Offender program which includes participation of external agencies and services
- Case management teams with Probation, Mental Health and substance abuse workers and Domestic Violence teams
- SKY (safe kids and youth)
- BC Conservation Officer Service BC Parks Christina Lake Summer policing (Small Vessel Regulation Enforcement, Christina Lake Policing)
- Training sessions with the local Search and Rescue organization.
- SAFE Program
Our major objectives for 2018 are to:
- Continue to focus efforts on solving property crime.
- Continue efforts towards identifying and prosecuting Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Dealers.
- Continue to recommend charges against known prolific/problematic offenders by monitoring and enforcing Bail, Probation and Conditional Sentence orders.
- Ensure that our roads are safe with traffic enforcement by focusing on speed, distracted driving, impaired driving (both alcohol and drug) and winter tire enforcement and education.
- Ensure that complaints of Domestic Violence continue to be treated with priority and fully investigated.
“We continue to encourage everyone to continue to report crime and criminal behaviour,” RCMP said. “Please consider joining Citizens on Patrol and Block Watch. Please remember to lock up your valuables.”
So far in 2018 the majority of thefts have been from unlocked vehicles or unlocked buildings. People can report crime directly to the Grand Forks RCMP at 250-442-8288 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
