Fourth 2024 quarter RCMP stats show crime trending downward in Barrhead

BARRHEAD - Barrhead's crime statistics continue to trend downwards.

RCMP Detachment commander Sgt. Colin Hack told County of Barrhead councillors the good news at their Feb. 18 meeting.

"I'm not sure if it is the cold weather or that some of our [regular high fliers] are in jail, but our crime statistics are way down," he said.

Hack was at the meeting to present the 2024 fourth quarter 'K' Division crime statistics from October to December for the detachment.

With very few exceptions across the board, there has been a decrease in complaints RCMP received from the same period in 2024.

On the person crime side, police responded to 41 complaints compared to 45 in 2023.

Leading the way were assaults at 16, which was nominally down from 17, followed by uttering threats at 14, which is actually up from 7 in 2023, and criminal harassment at 8 compared to 12 the previous year and 3 sexual offences down from 7 in 2023.

Property offences saw the most significant decrease, going from 118 total files to 81, a 31 percent drop from 2023 and a 47 percent drop from the four-year average from 2020 to 2024.

Leading the way is theft under $5,000 complaints at 18, which is the lowest number in five years. The highest was in 2021, with 49, followed by 2020, 2023 and 2022, at 45, 37, and 28, respectively.

Fraud was next at 15, tied with 2021, which also had 15. The highest number of frauds reported was in 2023, at 21, compared to eight in 2022 and nine in 2020. Motor vehicle theft and mischief (property damage) to property were the next most populous categories, tied at 13. In the case of motor vehicle theft, there was an increase of 18 per cent compared to 2023 at 11, but 50 per cent lower than the five-year average, with the highest reported being in 2020 at 26 and the lowest in 2022 at six.

For mischief (property damage), 13 was the second-lowest, with 2022 and 2023 being tied for the highest at 17 and 2020 being the lowest at 8.

Break-and-enter and possession of stolen property were next at eight each.

For the possession of stolen property category, the 8 is the third highest, with 2020 being the highest at 16 and 2022 being the lowest at zero reported.

Eight represented the lowest in the break-and-enter category in the five years, with 2020 at 44, or an 82 per cent decrease. The last two property crime categories were arson, with one reported, and mischief under, at five. For arson, 2024 was the lowest number in five years, while for mischief (other), it was the highest, with zero reported in 2020 and two in 2023.

In addition to the crime statistics, Hack said B.C. and Alberta RCMP detachments now have access to two new Black Hawk helicopters.

In addition to patrolling the Canada-U.S. border, as part of the effort of the federal government to address U.S. President Donald Trump's concerns about border security, the helicopters can transport specialized police units.

"It is a huge improvement for moving forces around. In the small helicopters we had, we could only move two or three guys and a dog. Now you can move an entire [Emergency Response Team] with them," Hack said.

Coun. Bill Lane asked for clarification on the new limit Alberta Crown prosecutors are using on the amount of illicit drugs, specifically fentanyl, a person can have before charges are brought forward.

"There is a prosecutor's deskbook, and it has the guidelines of when they are going to approve charges for possession of narcotics," Hack said. "Anything that is not trafficking, they will find everything possible not to charge that person, whether it be alternative measures or trying to find a program for these people rather than charging them."

However, he said the deskbook has a clause that states if the person is a detriment to the community in isolated regions, prosecutors could proceed with charges.

"I would argue that in small town Barrhead, a guy with 20-some grams of methamphetamine is a detriment to our community. We might not have the kilos coming through like Edmonton, but a guy with 20 or 30 grams of meth is a problem to us. He's stealing stuff to maintain his drug habit," Hack said.

He added in the future; he would like both Barrhead councils to sign off on a process, probably by signing a letter, that will help the RCMP voice their concerns to prosecutors that specific individuals found with drugs are a detriment to the community.

"It will be one more tool in our toolbox, for the Crown prosecutor, who can use because right now, there is no deterrent for these guys not to be in possession of drugs,"  Hack said.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com