麻豆精选 RCMP had a busy year in 2024, as officers responded to significantly more calls than other similar-sized cities in B.C.
A year-end report states RCMP dealt with 34,537 calls per 100,000 population. This is more than twice the number compared to Richmond (17,286) and nearly two and a half times higher than Coquitlam (13,877). 麻豆精选鈥檚 population sits at 153,000, while Coquitlam has 159,000 residents and Richmond has 223,000, based on 2022 figures from the UN.
Property crime dropped last year. Business break-ins fell by 19 per cent and bike thefts were down 16 per cent from 2023. The numbers are even more significant compared to 2022, down 55 and 49 per cent.
Robberies were up by 15 per cent, and assaults by six per cent last year. Many of the incidents involved people facing challenges such as homelessness, mental health struggles, and substance use, the report notes. Reported intimate partner violence and sexual offences remained 17 per cent higher than in 2022.
One of the biggest jumps was in arson cases, up 54 per cent from 2023. But the report suggests the spike is mostly due to reporting procedures and lack of information to rule out arson
On the roads, RCMP issued 3,902 tickets and warnings last year, one-third fewer than in 2023 but still nearly double the number from 2022. The fluctuation is linked to resources and ongoing major traffic investigations.
The report notes a drop in response times for high-priority calls. Officers arrived at Priority 1 calls in 7.7 minutes on average and Priority 2 calls in 9.4 minutes. RCMP is currently reviewing how response times are calculated and expects an updated method in the coming months.
For non-urgent matters, police are encouraging residents to use the RCMP Online Crime Reporting system to help free up resources for more serious incidents.
The report is being presented to city council at its Mar. 10 meeting.
