BARRHEAD – Crime in Barrhead continues to be on a downward trajectory and the statistics for the third quarter (Q3) of 2022 covering the months from July to September seem to bear that out.
At least for the most part.
Barrhead RCMP Detachment commander Sgt. Bob Dodds told town councillors during their Dec. 12 meeting that with the exception of assaults, which took an uncharacteristic jump in September, the overall total person crime (crimes committed directly against people) would have been one of the lowest rates in the last five years. Instead, the 30 assault complaints the detachment received between July to September meant that it edged out 2018 by one file for being the most person crime files for Q3 in five years at 49.
For reference, over the same period last year, they received 19 complaints.
"I can't explain it, but in September, we had a crush of assault and domestic assault reports, " Dodds said. "There was one weekend where we responded to five domestics alone."
But, he said, as quickly as it came, it stopped.
However, he said even with the jump in assaults, the overall crime rate for the quarter dropped nearly 18 per cent compared to the same three months in the last five years.
According to 'K" Division statistics, in Q3, the Barrhead RCMP Detachment received 260 total Criminal Code files, the lowest total in five years. The next lowest was in 2021 with 275, while the highest was in 2018 at 308.
The main reason for the decrease, Dodds said, was the relatively low number of property crimes at 152, compared to the second lowest in 2021 at 192 and the five-year high in 2019 at 248.
The category with the most complaints was theft under $5,000 at 60, followed by break and enter, motor vehicle theft and mischief to property at 29, 25 and 27, respectively. Fraud, possession of stolen goods, mischief (other), arson and theft rounded off the bottom half at 12, 8, 8, 5 and 3.
Like the increase in assaults, Dodds said he is at a loss to explain why property crime seemed to be on a downward trend.
He also noted that although the statistics are a bit dated, anecdotally, he has not seen anything to believe the crime rate is on the rise.
"And we are not the only ones seeing it," Dodds said, adding that earlier in the day, he stopped by the St. Albert RCMP Detachment and spoke to former Barrhead RCMP Cpl. Darryl Lutz, now a reservist, who said they seem to be experiencing a similar trend.
One statistic Dodds also said he is happy to see on the rise is the number of residents who are reporting suspicious activity at 99, which is the second highest in Q3 in five years.
"That is a number I always want to see nice and high because that shows the community is keeping an eye out for each other," he said.
Staffing
Dodds said the downward trend of the crime rate is coming at a good time, as the detachment may soon be understaffed. He noted that currently, they have one vacancy, but are being helped out by a member from Westlock traffic who has been temporarily assigned to the detachment while he waits for his transfer.
However, Dodds believes the member, who has been with Barrhead for more than a year waiting for his home to sell, will be on the move in January. He added that another officer is slated for temporary parental leave, decreasing their strength even more.
Recent Barrhead vacancies, Dodds said, have been filled by newly minted graduates from the RCMP training depot but he believes this time it may be several months before a recruit arrives, as there are other detachments with greater need.
Coun. Dausen Kluin asked if there was any way to speed up the process.
Dodds replied that he had been hopeful the vacancy would be filled via a lateral transfer, adding a husband and wife team were interested in filling vacancies in Barrhead and Westlock, but in the end, they went elsewhere.
He added he has also had discussions with a member of the Edmonton Police Service who is potentially interested in coming to Barrhead.
"If there is a police officer from another community who is interested in coming to Barrhead, is there someone that can show them the community," Kluin asked, adding it is something the municipality has had success with, referring to the physician medial professional attraction/retention committee. He suggested it was something Dodds could do himself.
Dodds said that in both instances, the discussions had not reached the point where they were ready to visit the community.
"Certainly, I'm very proactive, communicating with them in any way I can," he added. "My family and I have been very clear about how much we love the community and how we plan to stay here, even after I retire. It is easy for me to sell the community and tell them this is a community they should come to, but you have to remember we are competing against the big centres. Unfortunately, there isn't the same interest (for police officers) to live in small communities that there was even five years ago."
Update on a new detachment
Coun. Rod Klumph asked about the status of a new detachment facility, suggesting that the RCMP could use a portion of the Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADLC) building.
Recently, the town and county applied for Alberta Community Partnership (ACP) grant to conduct a feasibility study to see if the municipalities could realistically use the building, for example, as a joint municipal office.
Since the ADLC ceased operation in June 2021, the provincially-owned building, which opened in 1984, has sat mostly vacant, with only the Ministry of Education print shop still operating in the basement.
Dodds said he started the process for a new detachment more than six years ago after it was clear the present facility was no longer suitable for their needs.
He actually floated the idea of using the ADLC building as a potential replacement for the detachment several years ago to the RCMP, but they said the building was not suitable, saying it would cost more to convert the space than build a new facility.
Dodds noted the cell block was the main problem area, saying at the time, he was quoted a price of more than $100,000 a cell due to the amount of concrete and the special security requirements.
He added the detachment's cellblock no longer meets the necessary requirements, and as a result, the Barrhead RCMP have been transporting prisoners to Westlock.
"This obviously isn't ideal, because we lose a member for an hour or more," Dodds said.
But he is hopeful that the process of replacing the detachment will begin soon, saying the RCMP has already purchased the property for the new facility.
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