Staff Sgt. Gord Stewart has delivered his final RCMP quarterly report to Creston town council. His tenure as commanding officer ends in June, when his replacement, Staff Sgt. Bob Gollan arrives from Alberta.
With the RCMP fiscal year ending on March 31, the report also included fiscal year-end statistics.
“This year, the total number of calls for service increased to 3,891 from 2009-2010’s total of 3,684,” Stewart said. “In large part, this increase is attributable to the enhanced proactive efforts of the detachment, particularly in the areas of traffic enforcement, impaired driving in investigations and drug enforcement efforts.”
Of the 772 calls for service in the fourth quarter, 421 originated within Creston and the others were spread among Regional District of Central Kootenay Areas A, B and C. The later winter and early spring months are traditionally the quietest time of the year for police calls, Stewart said.
In his report, Stewart summarized his detachment’s success in reaching goals for the year in a number of areas:
Traffic safety
Goal: Increase number of impaired driving charges to 30. Final total: 50.
Goal: Increase number of road checkshops to 12. Final total: 15
Police visibility
Goal: Increase patrols to high call volume areas by 25. Final total: 87
Goal: Make 10 bicycle or foot patrols in downtown Creston. Final total: 10
Youth education
Goal: Increase number of programs delivered to local youth to nine. Final total: 10.
Target organized crime
Goal: Increase number of confidential sources to 3. Final total: 7.
Goal: Increase number of members to write search warrants to 50 per cent of members. Final total: 60 per cent.
Communications
Goal: Provide four proactive policing stories to local media. Final total: 11.
Goal: Increase number of press releases on detachment activities to 16. Final total: 32.
Crime reduction
Goal: Develop intelligence on 22 prolific offenders. Final total: 11.
Goal: Conduct curfew checks on 100 per cent of prolific offenders with curfews. Final total: 60 per cent.
First Nations
Goal: Increase formal reporting to Lower Kootenay Band to 12. Final total: 12.
Goal: Meet regularly with band chief and council 12 times. Final total: 10.
“I think that these measurements are a reflection of a group of police officers who are committed to serving our community well,” Stewart said. “It has been a please to be part of the Creston detachment for these past three years.”
Stewart assumes duties in a new position in Kelowna when Gollan takes command of the Creston detachment later this month.