BOWDEN -- Crime in Bowden is down or on par with last year in virtually every category when the first six months of this year are compared to the same period last year, and when stats from the second quarter of this year (April to June) are analyzed.
That's the message Olds RCMP Staff Sgt. Jim MacDonald brought to Bowden town council on Sept. 24.
"We are seeing a decrease in crime and we think it is because of the work that the people are doing in the community to be more proactive about protecting property; about keeping an eye on their neighbours' property; about just being vigilant about that suspicious activity," he told councillors.
Overall, the total number of property crimes in Bowden fell from 76 from January through June 2017 to just 63 during that same period this year.
MacDonald noted that six assaults were reported in Bowden from January through June this year, compared to five for the same period in 2017.
"So very few assaults are reported in town, because six reported in 180 days is very, very few. That's a good sign that it is a safe community to live in," MacDonald said, adding some of those assaults will be attributable to domestic violence incidents.
Total crimes to persons from January through June declined slightly, from 11 in 2017 to 10 in 2018. From April through June this year, five were reported.
"That's consistent with pretty much the whole rural detachment area," MacDonald said. "So again, you're living in quite a safe community in that respect."
Break and enter figures have remained static at 13 for the first six months of 2017 and 2018.
"We would have liked to have seen a decrease," MacDonald said. "They're not high numbers. But again, for a small community, 13 in a six-month period is still higher than what I think it should be, for sure."
Motor vehicle thefts rose from 10 in the first six months of 2017 to 12 during that same period this year.
"Theft of motor vehicles is still fairly high for a community of this size, of just over 1,000 people, or 1,200 people. So I'd like to see, of course, that number go down. But again, sometimes it's a public education piece in town," MacDonald said.
He recommended that when people are out of their vehicles, they should take the keys out, keep valuables out of sight, and lock the doors.
"They're typically crimes of opportunity. If people have to work at stealing a vehicle, they're typically going to go to the next vehicle that's easier to steal."
MacDonald noted that only five collisions were reported in Bowden during the first six months of 2018. And only three were reported in the second quarter of this year.
"I can say the (collision) numbers in Bowden are extremely low for a community of this size," MacDonald said.
"I saw that number is so low, I actually had to go into our database and look and read through every investigation. (I thought) 'there's no way it's that low' -- and it was that low.
"It was very good, so I feel safe driving around (here)," MacDonald said, sparking laughter.
"It's good to see a decrease, or at least not a giant increase," Coun. Randy Brown said as discussion on the crime stats wound down.
"Yeah, for sure," MacDonald replied.
"I've been very impressed," Mayor Robb Stuart said. "Thank you. Thank your staff members."
