Via needed police assistance

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By Bruce Klassen

     

Police Chief

 

November saw Rivers Police Service host a town hall meeting; there will be an official report forthcoming. From this report a strategic plan will be implemented. Traffic enforcement was one of the topics brought up and the intersection at Second and Colombia where vehicles are parking too close to the curb, making it difficult to see when travelling north.

Crossing the double solid line when parking downtown was a repeated topic of discussion; I have instructed our members to start with an education component where they will be issuing warnings for the first month or so, and then we will start an enforcement component. Community talks through the elementary and high schools were also requested; I am a big advocate of this and will continue to be involved in this area.

I attended Rivers Kids Club and delivered a talk to both classes of three- and four-year-olds. There were another two arrests with regards to the vandalism to Rivers Collegiate which concludes this file; the three co-accused will appear in court on Dec. 1. A file of interest is one where Rivers Police Service was called to the Via Rail station and asked to remove two unruly adult passengers from the rail car. One man from Kenora, Ont. and a second male from Quebec were arrested and lodged at Brandon Correctional Centre for breach of the peace.

There were no new charges in violent crimes for November, so year-to-date statistics remain the same: one sexual offence; two abductions/forcible confinement; five assaults; three robberies; and one other (i.e. extortion, uttering threats, etc.).

Four property damage crimes were reported this month, bringing the year-to-date total to 25. Other property crimes for the year have been one theft over $5,000, 21 thefts under $5,000 and one report of arson.

Four new charges in other crimes were also recorded this month; various crimes  (i.e. breaches, public mischief, harassing phone calls, etc.) now has a year-to-date total of 16. Three fraud cases have been reported so far this year, but none in November.

No federal or provincial traffics statistics were reported so year-to-date totals remain at one prohibited driving, two suspended driving, 83 other Highway Traffic Act (i.e. speeding, unregistered, no licence. etc.) and four accidents.

Statistics for the Liquor Control Act also remained unaltered this month; year-to-date totals are two possesing liquor in an unauthorized manner, three possessions by a minor/consuming liquor under age and five intoxicated persons/breach of peace.

Four new bylaw incidents were reported under animal control; year-to-date total is now 27. Other bylaw statistics are two nuisance and five traffic.

Police were busy helping others in November: two assists to public (year-to-date now 32); one assist other agency (now 29); eight RCMP/Daly assisted (now 20, effective April-November); four criminal records checks (65 total); one previous finger prints (pardons).

Several miscellaneous statistics also changed this month. Two 911 calls were received (16 to date), two community relations (13); two missing persons (eight, and all have been located); one noisy party/disturbance (nine); one lost/found (five). Unchanged miscellaneous activity are six mental health reports, 17 alarms, one sudden death, one trespassing and one sex offender registration.