Vermilion RCMP busier with August calls

The Vermilion RCMP detachment saw 316 calls for service throughout the month of August.

In July 2020, there were 258 occurrences, and June 2020 there were 206.

In comparison, July 2019 they had 287 calls for service and June 2019 they had 227.

“I would say we are on par with last years numbers up to August, where we were only at 240 last year,” said Cpl. Mike Dunsmore.

Last month in their 316 calls they saw the following:

• 134 driving complaints
• 12 collisions
• 8 reports of harassment/uttering threats
• 11 reports of assault/assault with a weapon
• 10 theft of motor vehicle
• 5 theft from a motor vehicle
• 8 reports of mischief to property
• 4 frauds
• 3 reports of break and enter to business
• 5 reports to break and enter to a residence
• 49 reports of suspicious occurrences

Dunsmore said statistics are a bit of a black science in that they don’t always accurately portray given situations.

He said, the Vermilion RCMP don’t typically monitor the trends of the statistics because of the dynamic nature and quick changes found in policing.

“We are lucky being a smaller detachment in that trends surface and are identified very quickly,” said Dunsmore.

“We look at the statistics as more of a measure of our performance when looking back over a given time frame, usually at the end of a year or quarter.”

In addition, with September being back to school time they are taking a slower approach this year, while observing Alberta Health Services guidelines as well as ones from each local school.

Traffic enforcement and education will continue to focus on back to school safety and reminders are being issued across the province.

“As the schools get into their routines and discover what their new normal will look like, we will then explore what options we have to engage school aged children within our detachment area,” said Dunsmore.