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MERRITT HERALD FREE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
COST OF CRIME
RCMP REPORT
$2,146,119
Total police costs
$1,257,045
$1M
$955,030
$2M
$2,533,965
$3M
$1,693,403
$3,530,647
Merritt ranks in top 10 for police Merritt RCMP make costs, caseloads and crime rate first contact with possible fentanyl
MERRITT
LADYSMITH
QUALICUM B. QUESNEL
REVELSTOKE
TRAIL
Population: 7,461 Crime rate: 140 Case load: 69
Population: 8,273 Crime rate: 58 Case load: 69
Population: 8,500 Crime rate: 26 Case load: 28
Population: 7,280 Crime rate: 59 Case load: 36
Population: 7,527 Crime rate: 92 Case load: 50
Population: 9,806 Crime rate: 184 Case load: 86
Communities of a similar size, as compared to Merritt’s police costs. Data from Police Services Division, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, 2014. Design by David Dyck Michael Potestio THE MERRITT HERALD
Merritt nears the top of the charts when it comes to caseloads, crime rate, policing costs and costs per capita for communities of similar size. As a town with a population that ranges between 5,000 and 14,999, the city pays 70 per cent of its policing costs, while the federal government pays the remaining 30 per cent. According to provincial statistics on police resources in British Columbia from 2014, the municipality’s cost per capita was $340 for its 15-member municipal RCMP force — the sixth highest on a list of 32 municipal RCMP forces for
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communities within this population range and pay structure. Its total policing costs of about $2.5 million ranked as the seventh highest total on the list. Whistler ($4,715,139), Prince Rupert ($4,519,938), Williams Lake ($4,081,471), Dawson Creek ($3,747,580) Terrace ($3,630,144) and Quesnel ($3,530,647) outspent Merritt in highest total police costs for communities with populations ranging from 5,000 to 14,999. Only Whistler ($451), Prince Rupert ($379), Williams Lake ($371), Quesnel ($360) and Hope ($345) ranked ahead of Merritt for policing costs per capita. All but Hope have
populations in the 10,000 range — well above Merritt’s listed 7,461. Hope is smaller in population to Merritt with about 5,700 people, but has a comparable municipal RCMP force of 14. Amongst the cities with similar sized municipal RCMP forces, Merritt still has higher police costs. For example, Kitimat has 16 officers and a population of about 8,400 but its policing costs are listed as $2,011,564 and $238 per capita. Sidney has 15 officers and a population of about 11,000, but policing costs there are $2,277,715 or $204 per capita. Even Powell River, a town with 18 police officers — a few more than Merritt
— had total costs come in at $2,395,782 and $183 per capita for the Vancouver Island town of 13,108. The six cities listed as having higher total costs than Merritt also have municipal RCMP forces numbering more than 20 officers. Footnotes contained in the statistics state that total costs numbers refer to actual costs as reported from each municipality. For RCMP municipal forces, total costs include the city’s share of RCMP contract costs, including integrated team costs as well as any other costs the municipality foots the bill for 100 per cent of the time.
See ‘Caseload’ Page 2
The scene outside the Coldwater Hotel on Tuesday evening, where two people overdosed. David Dyck/Herald Michael Potestio THE MERRITT HERALD
Two people overdosed at the Coldwater Hotel on Tuesday evening (Feb.23) and police suspect the synthetic opioid fentanyl to have been involved. RCMP Const. Derrick Francis told the Herald the two individuals were given naloxone — an antidote to fentanyl — by ambulance workers. He said the duo told police they were using crack cocaine, but there is no evidence that is the case. The antidote that brought the two around only works on opiates such as fentanyl, heroin and morphine, and not crack cocaine. The amount of naloxone needed to treat the two points to fentanyl as the cause.
Francis said police are confident enough that these were fentanyl overdoses to warrant a public safety risk. “We want people to be aware that it’s in our community,” Francis said. “We haven’t proven anything yet, but we’d rather be safe than sorry.” The individuals who were at the Coldwater Hotel were in a private residence on the third floor of the building with other people around them, who called for help when the two overdosed. “Fentanyl overdose tends to be very instant and you’re unresponsive, so you’re just hoping that you have friends around with the wherewithal to call and yesterday, luckily, there was,” Francis said.
See ‘Deadly’ Page 8
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