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Clearwater RCMP operating at full capacity, says detachment commander

A report was given to Clearwater council on May 17
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The Clearwater RCMP detachment is operating at full strength, according to detachment commander Sgt. Grant Simpson.

The detachment has one sergeant, one corporal and four constables working full time and two public service employees.

Cpl. Mark Labossiere was replaced last August after his retirement in July 2020, with Cpl. Duncan McGeorge.

According to Simpson, detachment members investigated 475 files during the fourth quarter, compared to 378 files during the same period last year.

Total files for 2021 were 2065, compared to 1751 the year prior.

About 44 per cent of service calls were for the Clearwater, 12 per cent Blackpool, 10 per cent Blue River, nine per cent Vavenby and five per cent in Birch Island. The remaining 15 per cent of calls were in various outlying areas. Roughly 70 per cent of all calls were for traffic, followed by property (12 per cent) and persons (9 per cent).

Detachment priorities included: enhanced road safety, focusing on speed, impaired and distracted driving; preventing and reducing crimes involving youth, with a focus on Internet safety; reducing crimes against persons, focusing on domestic violence; overall crime reduction, with a focus on prolific offenders and increasing drug seizures; and police-community relations, focusing on police visibility in the community.

Simpson noted there is provincial funding available to address any protests that may occur opposing the Trans Mountain pipeline, and an increased police presence with members of CIRG (Community Industry Response Group) will patrol along the project from Merritt to Valemount.



newsroom@clearwatertimes.com

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