ESTEVAN - The Estevan Police Service (EPS) saw a jump in call volumes last month, but the activity level remained below the five-year average.
Numbers released at Wednesday meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners showed the EPS had 576 calls for service, up 11 per cent from January the previous year. The five-year average is 615.
The EPS responded to eight crimes against the person, with seven assaults and one sex crime, down from 12 in January 2022, when the EPS handled seven assaults, three sex crimes and two assaults causing bodily harm.
Police Chief Richard Lowen said when he looked into assaults, they all involved substance abuse of some kind.
Seventeen crimes against property occurred, with nine thefts under $5,000, six mischief/willful damage complaints and two break and enters. In 2022, there were nine mischief/willful damage incidents, six thefts under $5,000 and three residential break and enters.
Six charges were laid under the Controlled Dugs and Substances Act, with five for possession and one for trafficking. That compares with the four for possession and one for trafficking that occurred last year for the same month.
Criminal Code Traffic violations saw the biggest increase, from five in 2022 to 16 this year. There were 12 charges for impaired driving/exceeding .08, three for dangerous driving and other, and one for impairment by drug. Last year for the same month, there were three for impairment by drug and two for impaired/exceed-related offences.
Member-at-large Roberta DeRosier asked about the sharp increase in the number of cases of impaired driving. Lowen said it’s because of increased patrols and check stops.
Lowen believes that with the uptick in activity so far this year, the total number of calls might have bottomed out in 2022.
The five-year average for January is 6.6 crimes against the person, 22.6 crimes against property, 8.2 Criminal Code traffic violations and four Controlled Drugs and Substances Act charges.
The bylaw enforcement officer’s report from Special Const. Anna Volmer showed she had 122 occurrences last month, with 40 parking violations leading the way. She also had 20 snow-removal notices, 15 animal calls and 20 classified as other bylaw to account for the bulk of her activity.
Last year the bylaw division had 65 occurrences in the first month of the year, including 33 parking tickets.
