Drayton Valley RCMP reports that mischief and property crime appear to be trending down in the municipality.
On Wednesday, May 6, Drayton Valley town council received a quarterly detachment report comparing crime statistics from January to March of 2026 to the same period in 2025.
This year, persons crimes were down 19 per cent, and property crime was down seven per cent compared to 2025. While there was one more break-in than last year, there were three fewer motor vehicle thefts.
Under persons crimes, Staff Sergeant Ryan Hoetmer explained, domestic violence rates are captured by charges for assault and uttering threats. Except for a low year in 2024, Hoetmer said those rates have held steady for about four to five years. So far this year, 30 assaults have been recorded, compared to 26 in the same period last year. Instances of uttering threats were at 12, compared to 15 in 2025.
Hoetmer highlighted wins in property crime rates, particularly those for possession of stolen goods and mischief.
These possession charges reached 16 in the first quarter this year, up from three the year previous. Hoetmer said the increase represents proactive work by RCMP members to find people with stolen property and lay charges.
Mischief trended in the other direction, falling to 35 counts in the first quarter this year from 62 last year. In 2025, the detachment received a high number of calls about individuals sleeping in vestibules (entryways) or other unauthorized locations, Hoetmer said. That challenge decreased notably this year.
“I think we should highlight when we are getting wins, and that’s one where we are getting a win,” he commented.
Another proactive metric is failure to comply and curfew breaches, with 32 counts at the start of 2026. That’s up from 10 the previous year due to targeted enforcement by the detachment.
Following the presentation, Councillor Colin Clarke asked, “I hear around the community people saying, ‘I feel unsafe in this town because I can’t go for a walk at night, [because] I wouldn’t let my kids ride their bike uptown to 7/11.’ What do you have to say to that?”
Hoetmer acknowledged that while Drayton Valley does experience persons crimes, it is most often targeted rather than random.
“In my policing career, Drayton Valley is the safest community I’ve lived in, and there’s a reason I’ve chosen to stay here and raise my kids here,” commented Hoetmer. “It’s a safe community. I don’t understand the bike thing or the walk things at night — we have no calls. That just doesn’t happen in Drayton.”
You can watch the full council meeting below.
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