CRAIG gilbert
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Police in St. Albert laid fewer charges across the board in April, May and June than they did a year ago.
RCMP officers recorded more infractions in just nine of the nearly 50 categories included in a report covering the first quarter of their operational year presented to members of the city’s Policing committee Tuesday evening.
One significant increase was recorded in “common police activities”: reports of suspicious persons, vehicles or property increased 48 per cent over 2023 and have jumped 87 per cent since 2020. There were 164 such reports in April and June of that year, 208 in 2023 and 307 in 2024.
Other charges that were laid more frequently in Q1 of 2024 include fraud and mischief (each up 8 per cent), fail to comply and condition breaches (up 29), drug trafficking (up from seven charges to eight) and federal drug charges (up 133 per cent, from three to seven).
Most other types of charges, from municipal bylaw tickets to roadside suspensions to robbery to theft, declined.
Sexual assault charges dropped 36 per cent, charges related to offensive weapons declined 56 per cent and theft of motor vehicle charges were down 48 per cent.
Instances of criminal harassment held steady at 39, assaults fell nine per cent and break-and-enters decreased 23 per cent, from 57 instances to 44.
Possession of stolen property cases plummeted 81 per cent, from 36 to seven. Drug possession charges fell 77 per cent, from 13 to just three.
Even the number of motor vehicle collisions officers responded to dropped 34.6 per cent, from 419 to 274.
Overall, Criminal Code charges were down seven per cent from 1,203 in April-June 2023 to 1,121 in 2024.
Provincial traffic offences were down 23 per cent from 1,063 to 819, “Form 10” apprehensions under the Mental Health Act declined 25 per cent and 10 per cent fewer people were reported missing, 38 compared to 42 a year ago.
St. Albert Mounties targeted shoplifting at “multiple” retail stores during Q1, according to detachment commander Insp. Ryan Comaniuk’s report. He said officers made 10 arrests, laid seven Criminal Code charges and executed six outstanding warrants. Some property was recovered as well.
Comaniuk also reported that in Q1, the detachment was operating with 55 officers working of its approved complement of 75, seven on special leave (five medical, one graduated return-to-work and one leave without pay) and 15 “hard” vacancies.
Year-to-date expenses at the detachment are slightly above $3.5 million with $14.3 million budgeted for fiscal 2024-25.
