Dawson Creek detachment commander Staff Sgt. Rob Hughes says rural crime is dropping in the South Peace, but challenges still remain, with resources still needed to keep an eye on violent crime in the city, following several shootings.
Hughes presented 2023 year-end stats to city council on Jan. 29, with calls for service in 2023 slightly down overall at 9,351, compared to 2022 at 9,634 calls.
It’s important that the public call in any concerns they have, even if they disagree with the police’s response, as some crimes go unreported, explained Hughes.
“We’re not so naive to think that everything that’s happening is being reported,” he said. “We do encourage the public to call us, I know there’s a perception sometimes of ‘we call the police, and we’re not getting the response that we want, so why bother’?”
Hughes added that the worst scenario is that RCMP may shuffle calls to BC Ambulance, the conservation service, or city bylaw, if appropriate.
The biggest decrease was in the rural areas, with a decreased file count of 257 files or 13 percent. Unspecified assistance calls were up by 35 percent, or 1,427 in 2023 and 1,056 in 2022, however, they don't indicate anything criminal, it's simply files where the RCMP were asked to help or investigate by citizens.
Hughes thanked the local crime watch groups for their efforts in assisting police and providing patrols for the community, and expressed that he’s glad to see a renewed relationship between volunteers and the RCMP detachment.
While police assistance from other units such as the Lower Mainland Gang Enforcement Team, Prince George, Fort St. John, and Williams Lake has helped curb violent crime in the city, Hughes says RCMP leadership is aware that resources are still needed, even at the risk of ‘skeletonizing’ units and fellow detachments.
"They are very aware of the level of violence that's going on here, and the resources that are needed to do that," said Hughes, noting homicides and missing people require dozens of officers and hundreds of hours to properly investigate.
Dawson Creek saw 10 shootings over the course of five days in November, violence that has created fear for the public’s safety, as conflicts spilled over into residential areas.
“It made a huge difference,” said Hughes of the assistance. “The shootings stopped almost immediately.”
While the nature of the violence is alarming, the numbers for assault, assault with a weapon, and aggravated assault haven’t really spiked, with only an 8 percent increase, 247 files in 2022 and 267 files in 2023.
Crime numbers are dropping overall, with general theft down by 21 percent, theft of vehicles down by 26 percent, break and enters to residences and businesses down by 20 percent and 40 percent respectively, drug possession and drug trafficking down by 29 percent, impaired driving down by 8.5 percent, and motor vehicle collisions down by 6 percent.
Missing persons also have been a focus for the RCMP, said Hughes, noting that there ongoing investigations to find Cole Hosack, Darylyn Supernant, and Renee Didier. A big challenge is debunking rumours pulled from social media, which are often forwarded to police, he added.
"We don't typically monitor Facebook as the police," said Hughes. "But as people, most of us have Facebook accounts, stuff comes to our awareness, and we don't just leave stuff, if somebody says something, we investigate it."
