Significant drops in break and enters and person offences highlight the monthly statistics from the RCMP Battlefords city detachment in August.
Most notable was the drop in residential break and enters from 33 in August 2010 to six last month. Business break and enters were also down from three to two.
Person offences were also down from 89 to 54.
Property offences dipped slightly from 266 to 260, drug offences were down from 16 to 15, liquor acts were down from 43 to 33 and provincial traffic offences down from 173 to 155.
Impaired operation of a motor vehicle was up to 36 from 35, but the biggest jump was in criminal code offences which were up to 246 in August compared to 202 in 2010.
In total, calls for service in August were at 1,177 compared to 1,525 the previous August.
For the year to date, calls for service are down to 9977 compared to 10254 the year before. In terms of the overall percentage change for this year compared to 2010, person offences are down 1 percent, business break and enters down 33 percent, residential break and enters down 47 percent, and property offences down 10 percent. Drug offences are up 34 percent, however, and liquor acts up 18 percent. Impaired operation of a motor vehicle are up 23 percent for the year while criminal code offences are up 9 percent.
As usual the crime report was compiled by staff sergeant Phil Wilson of Battlefords RCMP.
The August crime report, with its relatively good news for the city, comes on the heels of two highly-publicized crime incidents in the Battlefords: astabbing incident at Bridgefest in the Battlefords flats Aug. 27 and a recent vandalism spree that hit the Western Development Museum and two schools last week.
Neither incident was mentioned by councillors at the meeting Monday. Both incidents allegedly involved youth offenders.
A troubling trend during the month of August was the rise in youth crime. Fifty-three youth were involved in property offences in August compared to 41 the year before. 31 were involved in criminal code offences compared to 22 the year before, and 12 were involved in provincial traffic offences compared to four in August 2010.
Other notable offences during the month of August included an Aug. 20 incident which resulted in one adult male charged with sexual assault; an Aug. 25 incident where someone was charged with being unlawfully at large from Drumming Hill Youth Centre, and an Aug.15 complaint from an area pharmacy with respect to a forged prescription.
Fifty foot patrols were recorded in August to ensure a visible presence in the downtown, bringing the total for the year up to that date to 219.
As well, the detachment was active at Bridgefest with four members on the grounds at all times and an additional eight more taking part in the closing ceremonies. Two members were brought in on overtime. According to Wilson's report, members did foot patrols throughout the evening and provided traffic control as needed.
