The RCMP is reminding residents to be vigilant about locking their cars after thefts from vehicles rose 28% in the first three months of the year.
From January through March, a total of 31 thefts from vehicles were reported, according to detachment commander Staff Sgt. Mark Wielgosz. The findings were disclosed in the Chestermere detachment’s quarterly report he delivered to city council on Monday.
In it, he complained that “complacency remains the main cause for theft and residential break‐ins.”
In an interview Wielgosz said the statistic could be reduced if residents are more “vigilant ensuring vehicles are locked.”
In another troubling statistic, vehicle collisions rose 5.2% to 80 in the quarter for 261 during the full year. “Obviously it’s not where we’d like it to be,” he added.
In other findings, three documented check stops were conducted resulting in a total of 175 vehicles checked which led to eight impaired driving charges, one drug seizure, two screening device tests and one suspension.
Although it was only 59% of expected values, Wielgoscz warned staff vacancies and increasing workloads were more likely for the drop than any real reduction in drinking and driving.
However, he’s encouraged by higher levels of public participation. During the quarter, police conducted 43 school visits for a total of 216 on the year. The visits ranged from participation in lock down drills, Lunch Box Talks, participation in reading programs at elementary schools and drug abuse presentations.
A community standards initiative was concluded in the second quarter with “measurable and observable success” as evidenced by community feedback and fewer observed infractions within city parks, the report said.
Wielgoscz also pointed to the detachment’s “positive ticketing” program as another way of engaging public participation. For instance, a one Chestermere youth held the door for officers during a walkthrough of a hockey game and was issued a “positive ticket” for his courtesy.
Though he declined to offer specific numbers, Wielgoscz said interest in the detachment’s Voluntary Home Surveillance registry remains high. In it, residents with home security systems can register with the police to keep tabs on property offences and reduce the amount of time it takes to make arrests and recover stolen property.
The Citizens on Patrol program has consistently attracted about 20 volunteers who conduct citizen patrols on Friday and Saturday evenings freeing up resources during peak periods.
Wielgoscz said volunteerism helps develop positive relationships and increase the effectiveness of law enforcement efforts. Despite the need for improvement in some specific areas, he described the quarter as positive.
“We’ve had successes in some areas, especially with community participation. We just need to know what’s happening… public safety is not just the responsibility of the police.”
