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By Sheena Roszell

Overall the crime rate is stable: Regional Enforcement Services

Sep 26, 2018 | 6:10 AM

Regional Enforcement Services presented its second quarter report to County of Grande Prairie council Monday.

Stu Rempel, Superintendent and Manager in charge of Regional Enforcement Services, says overall the crime rate is stable with some peaks.

He says it looks like crime has picked up in Beaverlodge.

“We didn’t receive a full report from the Beaverlodge detachment, however, we’ve heard that some of the crime may have moved into their area, which is keeping (local RCMP) fairly busy,” explained Rempel.  “I don’t have the exact numbers from Beaverlodge detachment, but we are hearing that there’s a trend of property crimes, thefts, and vandalism that’s picked up in that area.”

He says there’s one main factor contributing to the crime.

“We are having a great big problem in the Grande Prairie area with drugs and problem drugs.  A lot of the property crime that we’re seeing is as a result of people feeding their drug habit.”

There was an increase in violation tickets written.  County Enforcement Services handed out 1646 tickets from January through June compared to 1291 over the same time last year. The RCMP Enhanced policing unit handed out 217 traffic violation tickets in the second quarter of 2018 as opposed to 135 in the second quarter of 2017.  Rempel says they stopped one motorist doing well over 200 km/hr.

For the strides they are making on the fight against local crime, Rempel credits the Crime Reduction Unit, the Drug Reduction Unit and the General Investigative Section. There is also a new Western Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit that was put into place in February and Rempel says that has been very effective.  

He says they have a great communication tool in place now and they will continue to concentrate on hot spots and prolific offenders.

“As long as we keep the information flowing between the detachments and the units and we concentrate on the problem areas, I think we’re in the right place and we’ll just keep doing what we are doing,” he said confidently.

 

by Sheena Roszell