Dawson Creek RCMP talks November crime statistics

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – During the final council meeting of 2024, the Dawson Creek RCMP detachment presented a resource report for the month of November.

According to the report submitted during the December 16th regular council meeting, the detachment operated throughout the month with two temporary vacancies due to sickness or injury, and four hard vacancies for constable positions.

The report indicates that six members are expected to transfer out of Dawson Creek between November 2024 and May 2025, and two new members are expected to transfer into the detachment during the same time period. 

Two additional members arrived in November from the Saskatchewan Training Division, and one new member with 11 years of service transferred from Smithers, with their first shift on December 13th. 

Staff Sergeant Robert Hughes presented the report to the council, and detailed that total calls to the detachment were down 5.3 per cent in November.

Crime trends, Hughes detailed, saw mostly minor decreases or increases, with one critical exception. 

“Everything seems to be trending in the right direction, except for our theft of vehicles,” Hughes explained. 

As of the month of November, theft, including shoplifting, incidents increased by 22 per cent, theft of vehicle increased by eight per cent, and theft from vehicle increased by 10 per cent compared to year-to-date statistics from 2023. 

Hughes explained that while the detachment does not want to blame people, the rates of theft of and from vehicles could be decreased if people did not leave their cars running.

“We don’t want to blame those people; the last thing we want to do is victim blame. It’s no one’s fault. You leave your vehicle open or running outside your house to let it warm up; it doesn’t make it ok for a thief to steal your vehicles,” Hughes clarified. 

Hughes recommended measures such as using remote start, which disengages when the vehicle is opened, interior measures to ensure the car cannot be easily broken into or not leaving it unattended could help with ensuring the safety of the vehicle. 

Incidents related to mental health also increased by 16 per cent, and motor vehicle collisions increased by five per cent. 

Instances of sexual assault or sexual interference remained steady, with no decrease or increase compared to data from 2023. 

Decreases were noted in break and enter to residence and business, with decreases of nine and 53 per cent respectively. Incidents of assault, assault with weapons, and aggravated assault decreased by 25 per cent, and drug possession and drug trafficking decreased by 54 per cent. 

Cases involving impaired driving for alcohol and drugs, 24-hour suspensions, and immediate roadside prohibition saw a decrease of 26 per cent, and cases categorized as ‘unspecified assistance files’ decreased by nine per cent. 

Hughes stated he was happy to report that on the day of the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) event on December 7th, only one impaired driver was charged for the entire night. 

To read the full detachment report, submitted to the City of Dawson Creek council during the December 16th regular council meeting, see below.