Grand Forks
Gazette
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2012
❚ Hope needs help
page 3 Whispers of Hope asks city for $10,000.
VOL 115 NO. 15
Tea-ing off for Easter From left: Lois Bloster, Pat Palmer, Pat Krulic, Pat Faulkner and Elaine Davies enjoying Easter tea, fresh baked goods and sandwiches at the First Baptist Church last Thursday. CASSANDRA CHIN PHOTO
❚ POLICING
Crime in Boundary drops 19 per cent CASSANDRA CHIN Gazette Reporter
Crimes throughout Grand Forks and the Boundary area saw a 19-per-cent decrease from 2010 to 2011. According to the 2012 Report on Policing: Boundary Regional Detachment, the most notable decreases were residential break and entry, down by 56 per cent, and business break and entry down by 64 per cent. This is followed by thefts under $5,000, down by 24 per cent, and causing a disturbance down by 29 per cent. “Besides working on crime reduction initiatives, we’re trying to involve the public and community as much as we can,” Grand Forks RCMP’s Staff Sgt. Jim Harrison told The Gazette. “Two community programs we have are Citizens on Patrol and City Watch, where we have people who care about the community providing a great service to the rest of the community.” Harrison noted that factors that contributed to the decrease in crime have to do with the RCMP’s concentrated efforts made to target known prolific offenders, which led to successful prosecution. There was also the detention of several known offenders and the adoption of Intelligence which allowed RCMP to concentrate the resources on crime reduction to a level previously unattainable. In the City of Grand Forks, all types of crimes have decreased from assaults (from
crime rates down,” Taylor 56 to 41 in 2011) to break said, during the last city and enter (from 46 to 36). council meeting. Theft from a vehicle saw Councillors at the city the only increase, from 34 council meeting all agreed, to 35. including Coun. Cher Grand Forks Rural Wyers. (Area D) saw an increase “You and the RCMP in break and enters, from have done excellent work 12 to 18, but everything in our community and else saw a decrease or we’re quite blessed to have remained the same. you here,” she said. In Christina Lake, there However, Harrison notwas one more reported ed that the lack of easily willful damage (from 17 Grand Forks RCMP’s Staff accessible services for adto 18) and assault (from Sgt. Jim Harrison dictions and substance abuse three to four) than the previous year, but otherwise reported types of and mental health treatment is a concern in the communities. crime saw a decrease. According to the report, it noted that Greenwood saw an increase in assaults (from five to six) and sexual offences (from many cases see people dealt with in the zero to one), as well as other thefts (from criminal justice system that would be bet15 to 17). Midway’s rate saw a decrease or ter served in the health system. “We know the lack of health facilities remained the same across the board. “We’re going after people for breach- has the potential to cause some issues for es of probation, breaches of conditional us, and it will most likely translate into sentences orders and breaches of bail re- street level drug trafficking and thefts of lease conditions, as well as what we call drugs, but we haven’t seen that yet. Obviour prolific offenders,” Harrison stated. ously we’ll be looking at this one closely,” “Those people represent the 20 per cent of Harrison said. Taylor added, “In terms of our advoour criminals who are doing 80 per cent of cacy work in our community, if we can imthe crime.” Mayor Brian Taylor was pleased to hear prove our mental health services towards the results and efforts of community in- substance abuse, it would make our RCMP much happier with the job they face in the volvement. “I appreciate the leadership role that community.” Boundary Regional Detachment also (Harrison) plays in the community and I think that can be seen in the success of the saw reserve constable Christ Cottrill de-
ployed to Christina Lake in July and August last summer, with the assistance and funding granted from the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB). RDKB Area C Director Grace McGregor worked with Harrison to make the summer program plausible again. Last summer, over 158 files were generated for vessel checks and infractions. Since the program has started two years ago, there has been no fatalities. Some initiatives that are currently in operation and in progress include the Citizens on Patrol program in Grand Forks, Midway, Greenwood and Christina Lake, restorative justice, prolific offender program (which includes participation of external agencies and services), and small vessel regulation enforcement at Christina Lake. For 2012, the Boundary Regional Detachment aims to continue its efforts on border enforcement and intelligence, identifying and prosecuting methamphetamine and cocaine dealers and target known prolific offenders. The Boundary Regional Detachment has two offices in the region, one in Grand Forks and one in Midway. Grand Forks RCMP covers from the middle of the Paulson Bridge to just past Eholt summit, while the Midway RCMP covers from Eholt summit and Greenwood, to Beaverdell, just before Bridesville. Total estimated population in the service area was 12,165 in 2011, though there are usually larger numbers during summer months in the Christina Lake area.
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