Lyonel Doherty

Times-Chronicle

Incidents of crime in Oliver are down significantly across the board, according to statistics comparing last year’s first quarter to this year’s.

On Thursday, RCMP Supt. Brian Hunter presented his quarterly report to the regional district. The report covers January to March 2021.

The total calls for service in Oliver is down 15 per cent from last year’s first quarter (749 compared to 634).

Assault causing bodily harm is down 64 per cent (from 53 incidents last year to 19 this quarter).

Domestic violence in Oliver is down 77 per cent (from 13 incidents to three this quarter).

Violent crime in Oliver is down 32 per cent (73 incidents in Q1 2020 compared to 50 incidents this quarter).

Even violent crime at the Okanagan Correctional Centre is down 56 per cent. There were 36 incidents in 2020’s first quarter compared to 16 this quarter.

Auto theft in Oliver is down 54 per cent (from 13 incidents to six).

There’s more good news in that business break-ins are also down 33 per cent. There were nine in last year’s first quarter compared to six this quarter.

The biggest decrease in crime this quarter is residential break-ins – down 83 per cent (from six incidents last year to one this year).

Other break-ins (sheds and outbuildings) are down 40 per cent. There were five incidents in 2020’s Q1 compared to three this quarter.

Theft in the Wine Capital of Canada is down a whopping 78 per cent. This quarter there were four incidents compared to 18 during the same time last year.

Shoplifting is also down 75 per cent (from 12 incidents to three this quarter).

While Osoyoos is having a hard time with theft from vehicles, the same can’t be said for Oliver. Those incidents are down 58 per cent (from 19 last year to eight this year).

In the first quarter of 2020, there were 20 incidents of fraud in Oliver, compared to 16 this quarter – a decrease of 20 per cent.

The only two crimes that saw an increase in Oliver were uttering threats, up 67 per cent (from six incidents to 10), and mischief to property, up 32 per cent (from 25 incidents in Q1 2020 to 33 this quarter).

In total, property crime is down 38 per cent, comparing 143 incidents in the first quarter of 2020 to 88 incidents this quarter.

Criminal Code files in Oliver are down nearly 40 per cent from 265 incidents in Q1 2020, compared to 161 this quarter.

The top 10 calls for service in Oliver this quarter were:

  • Assist police/fire/ambulance – 76
  • Traffic incident – 55
  • Abandoned 911 – 31
  • Assault – 31
  • Check wellbeing – 31
  • Suspicious circumstances – 24
  • Disturbance – 22
  • Fraud – 21
  • Other Criminal Code – 20

(File photo)

The policing priorities identified in Oliver are property crime reduction, traffic safety, police visibility and employee wellness.

Detachment Commander Sgt. Don Wrigglesworth told the regional board that he has been inundated with emails about speeding in Oliver. He noted there are a number of hotspots in town that his members will focus on.

“We will be out there stopping vehicles,” he said, clarifying that much of this contact will be verbal and written warnings.

Wrigglesworth also said members will be focusing on curfew checks as part of the court sentencing system.

“We’ll be going to the house and knocking on doors to make sure they (offenders) are there.”

The commander said employee wellness is very important. Like Supt. Hunter said, you can’t protect the community if your labour pool is not healthy.

Wrigglesworth noted that a new officer, Cst. Shawn Ingham from Prince George, is very motivated and wants to establish a gym in the detachment’s garage.

Wrigglesworth also commended the volunteer members of Oliver Crime/Speed Watch for slowing down speeders in the community.

Speaking about crime statistics, the commander was pleased to see the decrease in numbers, but warned there will be times when these numbers will dip into the red.

He noted that violent crime totals are down and that COVID-19 has had an influence on crime in the Okanagan Correctional Centre.

Area A (rural Oliver) director Rick Knodel commended Wrigglesworth for his dedication, which has already made a “huge difference” in the community.

A regional director commented that one citizen raised the concern about a time period in the day when there appears to be no RCMP response unless it’s a major emergency.

Wrigglesworth said Oliver has 24-hour coveragebut at times local officers are on call from home where they have a police vehicle for immediate response.

Hunter said Oliver also has backup from the Osoyoos detachment, which further adds to 24-hour policing through coordinated efforts.

“I’m very satisfied with the coverage in the South Okanagan,” Hunter said, noting he’s confident that all of his officers are available to respond to calls 24-7.

One such officer that was introduced at the meeting was Cpl. Paul Symons in Oliver. He actually grew up in the area and recently returned from Langley where he was assigned to the prolific offender section.

“The change of pace here (in Oliver) is nice,” he commented.

Oliver Mayor Martin Johansen said Wrigglesworth and his team are having a positive impact on the community, noting he was impressed to see officers doing foot patrols.