Rocky View County (RVC) municipalities saw increases in the volume of police-reported crime last year, according to figures released by Statistics Canada – though that is consistent with numbers from across the province.
Cochrane numbers were up 16 per cent in 2015 compared to 2014, with a two per cent increase in violent crime and a 19 per cent increase in non-violent crime. Cochrane RCMP Sergeant Darleen White said many factors likely influenced the increase.
“We can’t pinpoint it. Proximity to Calgary, an increase in population, more people coming into town,” she said. “In 2015, for the non-violent (crime), we had a rash of break and enters and thefts in town. But we did solve those and people were charged for those.”
Hong Je, owner of the Fourth Ave Liquor Store in Cochrane, said a number of recent instances – including a Jan. 9 theft of a donation box meant for the Cochrane Humane Society – have made him feel less safe in the community.
“It’s not safe in Cochrane. I feel much different compared to one or two years ago,” he said. “The population is increasing, and maybe it’s the recession and people lose their jobs and they need money.”
The figures, released July 20 by Statistics Canada, track the Crime Severity Index (CSI) of municipalities and provinces across the country. Cochrane’s increase is in line with all of Alberta, which saw the largest increase in crime among Canadian provinces and territories.
The City of Calgary saw the highest CSI increase in Canada at 29 per cent. Calgary police chief Roger Chaffin attributed some of the increase to drug-related crime.
“To my end, as long as you have powerful addiction in these communities, as long as the addict community rises, crime trends will move with it,” he said during a press conference held July 20. “We simply have to find broader solutions to this.”
The proximity of many RVC municipalities to Calgary, including Beiseker, could mean some “spillover” crime could make its way between communities. Beiseker’s rural crime numbers increased 15 per cent in 2015, with a 20 per cent increase in non-violent crime – though violent crime decreased by one per cent.
“I think that’s indicative of the hard times that the province is having. Our proximity to the city (of Calgary) makes it that we get that little bit of bounce out,” Beiseker Mayor Ray Courtman said. “But I think our police force is doing an excellent job. We rely on them to keep a handle on it. Hopefully, people who see these non-violent crimes, people will report suspicious things to our RCMP.”
Among RVC municipalities with available statistics, Chestermere saw the largest increase, up 37 per cent from 2014. Non-violent crimes increased by 37 per cent, while violent crimes were up almost 38 per cent.
“As all of Alberta faces some difficult times, we want to ensure we keep Chestermere’s residents safe,” Chestermere Mayor Patricia Matthews said. “We are constantly reviewing with our detachment commander the needs and priorities for our local police department.”
White said ensuring statistics decreased in 2016 would require a variety of policing tactics.
“Education is a big one. (We need to) educate the public and businesses,” she said. “Also visible presence. When people see us around, they are less likely to (commit crime).”
