The number of Criminal Code investigations conducted in Olds in 2013 was up 1.2 per cent to 1,062 over the previous year, according to the Olds RCMP.
But the number of Criminal Code investigations undertaken in the last three months of 2013 was down 7.8 per cent over the same time period in 2012, to 235. RCMP members presented the statistics to Olds town council on Jan. 13 during a presentation of the police force's annual performance plan to council. The report outlined the three priorities the force had for 2013: Youth outreach, road safety and drug investigations.
ìWe've seen a continuation of members' involvement with youth,î said Cpl. Shawn Morgan, noting that various members have been making visits to schools to educate students about various dangers they should be aware of.
The RCMP were highly active on the roadways in the last quarter of 2013, conducting joint check stops with sheriffs and community peace officers from the town at local schools in September. Morgan said the check stops proved to be effective a month later when police conducted speed enforcement near the schools in Olds. A total of 35 vehicles were stopped during the enforcement campaign, with 29 violations of all types being recorded. The fastest vehicle was clocked at 62 kilometres per hour in a school zone where the speed limit is 30 km/h.
Coun. Wade Bearchell said he was encouraged by the effort the RCMP was expending to be more visible in the community, especially with students at the schools.
ìJust writing tickets isn't that effective, but I see you guys are out there working hard,î he said.
Police conducted 79 Criminal Code traffic investigations in the last three months of 2013, down 35 per cent from the same time period in 2012. There were also seven 24-hour roadside suspensions handed out during the last quarter of 2013 with four related to alcohol impairment and three relating to drug impairment.
There were 12 drug investigations related to production, possession and trafficking in the last quarter of 2013, compared to 16 for the same period the year before.
Asked by Coun. Mary Jane Harper how the police respond to tips from the public, Cpl. Jay Peden said the RCMP will investigate all complaints. He said it's better if people calling in with tips provide their name because it's easier to follow up on those tips if people provide names.
ìWe're limited in the actions we can do if the calls are anonymous,î he said.
Asked by Harper how Olds compares to other communities of a similar size regarding violent crimes, Morgan said although the detachment doesn't have figures to compare, he thinks that Olds is a relatively safe place. There were 52 persons investigations conducted in the fourth quarter of 2013, down from 60 in the same time period in 2012. Persons crimes include everything from uttering threats to assault and sexual offences.
Following the presentation, Morgan said he felt the message he received from council was that the detachment's focus on drug investigations should continue in 2014.
ìWe'd like the community at large to help us with any drug problems that they may see or suspect. They can do that by either a call to the detachment or use Crime Stoppers as well,î he said.
Overall, Morgan said by being visible in the community or patrolling the roadways, he hopes police make a positive impact in the community as opposed to simply reacting to complaints.
ìHopefully (visits to schools) pay off down the road. Whenever (students) find themselves in a predicament they can reach out to a member. With people seeing red and blue lights flashing (on roadways) perhaps that's encouraging them not to do things that they shouldn't be doing, i.e. drinking and driving, driving in a careless manner, that type of thing. If we're out there meeting the public, making stops, we tend to see better driver behaviour,î he said.
Detachment members are taking suggestions from councillors and the public on what those groups would like the RCMP to focus on in 2014 until the end of February. After that time, the RCMP will formulate an annual performance plan for the calendar year.
