The crime statistics for Drayton Valley in January offered no real surprises.
That is how Drayton Valley Staff Sergeant Erin Matthews summed things up when she presented the monthly crime statistics at town council’s Mar. 2 meeting.
According to the stats, there has been a two per cent total decrease in criminal code offences in January 2022, when compared to January 2021.
Matthews said that one thing that did surprise her was a decrease in mental health calls. She noted an 81 per cent decrease in Jan. 2022, when compared to Jan. 2021.
“Hopefully that is a continuing trend. I would like to see that happen,” said Matthews.
Matthews also shared that the data is now in from their recent policing priorities survey. Based on the feedback, she figures the RCMP’s policing priorities in 2022 will be largely unchanged from 2021.
“We will be targeting the prolific offenders, drugs, the major minor property crimes,” elaborated Matthews. “That is basically what the community would like us to focus on, and those are the main issues that we deal with anyway.”
When Matthews opened her report, she described Drayton Valley as being in “better shape than Whitecourt and Edson.” Councillor Tom McGee wanted some clarification.
According to Matthews, when compared to jurisdictions of similar size, Drayton Valley is having fewer crimes.
“It really takes into account those major offences: your assaults, the major property crimes, and that sort of thing,” described Matthews. “In respect to sizes of the same areas, we are not seeing quite as many as what other towns of the same size are really seeing.”
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