Crime On The Way Down in P.G.
By 250 News
Monday, June 09, 2008 08:38 PM
Prince George, B.C. – Crime is down 46% in the city according to first quarter 2008 police statistics.
Prince George RCMP Detachment Commander Superintendent Dahl Chambers says despite a report by Maclean’s Magazine earlier in the year calling the city one of the most dangerous in Canada, he says progress is being made. “We realized we had a spike in Criminal Activity… and we put a number of things in place to work on those factors.”
Chambers says their Crime Reduction Team, together with IMPACT’s Bait Car Program, have targeted what he calls the 5% of the people who commit over 50% of crimes in Prince George—be it aggravated assaults, sexual assaults, robberies, break and enters as well as those who steal vehicles.
There were questions on how the RCMP would continue to reduce crime in the city. “How do we follow in that trend and we see the same kind of trend coming forward?” said Councillor Sherry Sethen.
Superintendent Chambers defended his staff. “I’ve only had our Crime Reduction Analyst in place for a few Months. Our crime reduction team has only been up and fully staffed for the last year.” Chambers says they’ve “just put a Sergeant in charge of our crime reduction team to further rank enhance it.”
The stats focus on six types of crime, homicide, aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery, break and enter, and vehicle theft.
When compared to the same period in 2007, the only category showing no change was homicide.
The Stats show a continued trend when comparing fiscal year to fiscal year, ( April first to March 31st):
Community Policing
The Prince George RCMP detachment will also participate in a pilot program that brings two new ‘community safety officers’ that will help implement Community Policing Programs to reduce crime.
“It’s an 18 month pilot program that hires two new members, with full peace officer status but do not carry firearms,” said Superintendent Dahl Chambers. He says the program takes advantage of current funding and will not require any new money.
Chamber says Crime Reduction is a community effort, pointing to how recent grads of the BRAVE or—Drug Resistance and Violence and Education program as well as the DARE program—or Drug Abuse and Resistance Education program has on preventing crime by being proactive
Superintendent Chambers also spoke about targeting domestic violence. "There are 1100 incidents each year." Although there are support programs for victims of this crime, there are not a lot of programs for offenders. We have partnered with the John Howard Society, not because it is about being soft but because this is the avenue we need to take to get those who abuse their partners the help they need and break the cycle of abuse."
In addition to the decrease in the six categories above, there has also been a 17% reduction in crashes (particularly at the Domano intersection), and 98% compliance of seatbelts.
There was also an anonymous donation of $10,000 to the Con Air Program.
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Posted by: sportsman on June 9 2008 9:40 PM
Maybe crime stats are down because we've all realized just how useless the RCMP are and haven't bothered to report any crimes. I know I sure as hell won't waste my time calling those donut swilling lard asses again.