DIDSBURY - Didsbury RCMP officers continue to focus on three community priorities in 2022, including targeting repeat offenders through the Habitual Offender Management (HOM) program, says detachment commander Staff Sgt. Stephen Browne.
Appearing as a delegation at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting, Browne said the priorities also include increased traffic enforcement and increased officer visibility in the community.
“I had a meeting with my detachment just prior to this one and was notified that we are running two habitual offenders (through the HOM) who are actually residing within our detachment area,” said Browne. “Our efforts to target these individuals is paying off tremendously.”
As far as increased visibility in the community, that includes interaction with the community, increased patrols and targeted patrols in specific areas, he said.
“We’ve received numerous comments about increased presence within the community, the visible presence within the community,” he said. “That continues to be a motivation for me to get the members out and interacting with citizens and business owners within the community.”
Browne presented a quarterly community policing report to council, outlining crime statistics in the July - September quarter, and comparing the statistics to the same period in 2020.
There were a total of 123 Criminal Code offences reported in the quarter in 2021, up from 114 in the same period in 2020.
There were 25 person crimes compared with 14 last year, an increase of about 69 per cent.
There were 74 property crimes compared with 69 in 2020, and 26 other Criminal Code offences, down from 31 in 2020.
Drug offences are up from two in 2020 to six in the reporting period in 2021.
There are a total of five Criminal Code traffic offences, compared with five in 2020, and 45 provincial code traffic offences, compared with 37 in 2020.
There were 16 motor vehicle collisions reported in 2021, compared with seven in 2020, a 129 per cent increase.
He highlighted some recent cases in town, including a female arrested in July for uttering a death threat against another female and child, and a female arrested in August for assaulting two people and charged with assault with a weapon, assault, two charges of uttering threats and resisting arrest.
In another case, police seized drugs, including heroin, following a domestic disturbance call on 19th Avenue in July.
There have been four drug-related deaths in the Didsbury detachment since July, he said.
“It was related to fentanyl and overdosing,” he said.
Residents are encouraged to report criminal activities, including drug offences, to police, he said.
Coun. Bill Windsor asked if there are particular intersections where traffic collisions and/or traffic offences are occurring. Browne said that is under examination.
Mayor Rhonda Hunter commended detachment officers and staff for their efforts during the pandemic.
“We appreciate all the work you do,” said Hunter.
Council received Browne’s report as information.
