By Geoff Smith - Lethbridge News Now

Province, RCMP say rural crime strategy working

Sep 4, 2018 | 5:02 PM

AIRDRIE, AB — RCMP and the provincial government say crime statistics for the first six months of 2018 indicate their crime reduction strategy has been successful so far.

According to numbers released at a joint news conference Tuesday, Sept. 4, property crime (excluding fraud, arson, and mischief) is down nine per cent in RCMP jurisdictions, compared to the same period in 2017. When looking at rural areas only, the decrease is 11 per cent.

In July alone, property crime was down 17 per cent, with a 25 per cent decrease just in rural areas.

Year to date, there were five per cent fewer residential break-ins (a decrease of 366); 648 fewer stolen vehicles (down 10 per cent); a ten per cent decline in thefts (down 2,358); and possession of stolen goods was down 12 per cent.

The strategy has seven components aimed at breaking the long-term criminal activity cycle. That includes targeting repeat offenders, enhancing intelligence sharing, and giving officers more time for investigations by reducing their administrative duties. The strategy received provincial investments of $8 million and $5.3 million.

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RCMP pointed to numbers that spotlight the focus on repeat offenders: arrests numbering more than 500 resulted in more than 1,600 charges being laid, which works out to three or more charges per arrest.

Speaking at the news conference, Dean Hart, who serves on the board of Rural Crime Watch for Southern Alberta, said they have an active role as well by providing information to police as well as watching out for each other.

During the remainder of 2018, RCMP will introduce other initiatives as part of the strategy, including enhanced responses for victims and offenders and new data gathering technology.