Crime has dropped in Houston and area for the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2022, Houston RCMP detachment commander Sergeant Ryan Fillmore told council Oct. 3.
There were 71 criminal code offences registered from January to September this year while 101 were registered from January to September 2022.
Calls for service for Houston and area, including Granisle, also declined — from 1,818 for the first nine months in 2022 to 71 for the first nine months this year.
Most tellingly, Fillmore told council, is that violent offences such as assaults, assaults with a weapon and firearms-related offences have decreased.
He also noted that there have been five drug-related search warrants executed at area residences since January this year. That’s resulted in the seizure of several kilos of drugs, the seizure of prohibited weapons and the seizure of currency. Charges are now before the courts.
“This had a direct impact on those individuals involved in the criminal lifestyle and a strategic focus on making the community a safe place,” he said.
While Fillmore was reluctant to point to a specific reason for the decline in criminal code file numbers, he noted that some of the people the detachment has come into contact with have taken advantage of support services either in Houston or in Smithers.
“And prolific offenders have moved to other communities,” he added.
As of this year, the detachment was one of the more fortunate ones in the region to have a full complement of officers.
In addition to Fillmore, there are two corporals and eight constables for a detachment strength of 11 officers.
But that’s about to change with the anticipated rotating out of four officers by the end of February next year as their duty periods come to an end.
Fillmore said it is likely the positions will be filled by new graduates from the RCMP’s training depot in Regina.
Exactly when the four officers will leave would be determined by when they sell their houses as the sales dates determine their departure date, Fillmore added.
“If they don’t sell their houses, then they stay here,” he said, adding that the time period leading up to a house sale could work in the detachment’s favour as it could mean more officers being on duty then first anticipated.
Detachment officers also participate in the community-based committee aimed at reducing the harm from drug use and at the newly-created situation table which connects individuals with specific services.
The first nine months of this year saw 49 referrals to the detachment’s victim services section.
Fillmore did add that the file count does not reflect the overall level of valuable community service provided by those in the victim services section.