qathet Regional District directors were recently brought up to date on first quarter policing statistics.
Powell River RCMP sergeant Graham Kerr provided the report at the May 22 regional district committee of the whole meeting.
Kerr said the report took in the months January to March 2024 inclusive and made comparisons to the first quarter of 2023.
“Overall, our calls for service are relatively close to what they were last year,” said Kerr.
He said calls for service throughout the entire qathet region, including City of Powell River, in the first quarter of 2024 were 1,501, compared to 1,455 in 2023. Non-criminal calls for service included checking for well-being, and had gone up to 146 in 2024, compared to 106 in 2023. Mental Health Act calls for service remained stable at 62 in 2024, with unspecified assistance and missing persons both dropping 25 per cent year-over-year.
Persons crime was stable around 90 calls, as were assaults, around 40. There was no change in extortion, and sex offences dropped to five in 2024 from 10 in 2023. Uttering threats were stable around 25 and harassment dropped to 10 in 2024 from 15 in 2023.
Property crime was also stable from year-to year, with 239 offenses in the first quarter of 2024, compared to 243 in the first quarter of 2023, according to Kerr.
“In regard to thefts, we are seeing a decrease overall,” said Kerr. “Our prolific thieves have either moved on or were incarcerated during that first quarter.”
Kerr then outlined drug offenses. There was one in 2024 and two in 2023 in the first quarter.
“Unfortunately, we do not have a general investigation section here in Powell River, which is the unit that would work on drug offenses and drug trafficking,” said Kerr.
There was no change in weapons offenses, with six being recorded in both years.
In terms of statistics for the regional district electoral areas, Kerr said in the first quarter of 2024, there were 256 calls for service, compared to 240 in 2023.
“It’s not really too much of a change,” said Kerr.
In terms of body-worn cameras, Kerr said testing has been ongoing and the Axon system appears to have passed with flying colours.
“Anticipated roll-out will be this fall and going into next year,” said Kerr. “It is going to be a massive undertaking. I don’t anticipate all of us in town being outfitted until probably late next year.”
New tasers are also being brought into service. Kerr said there are new models at the detachment and there are two persons trained to use them, who will offer training in the local detachment.
“They are excellent tools for us,” said Kerr.
In term of union involvement, Kerr said the new collective agreement has gone to binding arbitration and there is a new contract in place until the end of 2024.
Electoral Area D director and committee chair Sandy McCormick asked about the staff of the Texada Island detachment. She said she was curious to know what future staffing is going to look like.
Kerr said at this point, it’s status quo and there has been no discussion about removing members from the island.
“The RCMP and the district are well aware of where the communities on Texada Island sit,” said Kerr. “As of today, there is no discussion about moving members off of that island.”
City of Powell River director George Doubt asked with the transition from RCMP to a municipal police force in Surrey, whether officers would be freed up to fill the open ranks at the Powell River detachment. Kerr said the local detachment was hoping that would be the case, but from the information that has been received, most are staying within the Lower Mainland.
The hope is that the local detachment can have some newly graduated RCMP officers coming to fill the ranks, according to Kerr.
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