Pubdate: Fri, 13 May 2005 Source: Leduc Representative (CN AB) Copyright: 2005 Leduc Representative Contact: http://www.leducrepresentative.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2265 CRIME PREVENTION A COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY The first step in solving a problem is recognizing that you have one. It's an adage Leduc RCMP officer-in-charge Insp. Mark Dibblee took to heart when he took the reins of the local detachment last year. His early look at local crime statistics told him there was indeed a problem. An analysis of the criminal code cases for both the detachment and its members had made significant jumps over the course of six years. For the detachment, in 1999, there were 108 criminal code cases for every 1,000 people. In 2004, that number almost doubled to 208 criminal code cases for every 1,000 people. Detachment members were looking at 97 criminal code complaints each in 1999. In 2004, that number more than doubled to 204 complaints per member. In that period, the City of Leduc's population hadn't changed dramatically. A 1998 census put the city's population at 14,540. The most recent census put the city's population at 15,630 in 2003. Statistics for Leduc County are similar. Crimes per 1,000 in 1999 for the county sat at 44. In 2004, that number shot up to 72. Members were looking at 74 rural criminal code complaints each in 1999. By 2004, that number nearly doubled to 134 complaints each. In that six-year period, like the City of Leduc, the county's population hadn't changed all that much. Dibblee started digging and found that the root of the problem was drug-related. Beyond direct drug-related offences, which went from 28 cases in 1999 to 248 cases in 2004 for the city, he found an increase in crimes that had an indirect relation to drugs. For the city, break and enters went from 91 cases in 1999 to 159 cases in 2004. Theft of motor vehicles went from 42 cases in 1999 to 133 cases in 2004 Theft under $5,000 went from 515 cases in 1999 to 843 cases in 2004. Possession of stolen property went from 21 cases in 1999 to 77 cases in 2004. For the county, break and enters went from 120 cases in 1999 to 155 cases in 2004. Rural occurrences of theft of motor vehicles went from 44 cases in 1999 to 104 cases in 2004. Rural occurrences of theft under $5,000 went from 176 cases in 1999 to 307 cases in 2004. Rural occurrences of possession of stolen property went from 15 cases in 1999 to 56 cases in 2004. For Dibblee, the stats alone spoke for themselves. "It gives you a rise for concern," he explained. "Some of it has to do with being influenced by our proximity to a big city like Edmonton." But more to the point, he continued, the ancillary crimes were being committed by meth and crack addicts because of, and as a means to, furthering their habits. The findings led the RCMP towards their seven-month long drug sting, which ended in February with charges being laid against 35 people and a street-value haul of $68,000 in cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, pot, guns and cash. "We knew there were drugs out there," said Dibblee, "but the results were beyond our expectations. It was a huge success and huge wakeup call." However, it was a reveille not everyone was ready, or necessarily wanted to hear, he added. Armed with the stats and the bust, Dibblee went to the City of Leduc to make his case for more help, namely two more officers for the detachment to specifically tackle the drug problem. "There were a few doubting Thomases about what I was trying to sell them," Dibblee said of the reaction. "But it did allow the city to go back and work on their budget numbers." And by the end of this summer, two new members will be joining the Leduc detachment. Two more officers will ease the workload of the other members. And new technological advents like PROS system (Police Reporting Occurrence System), covered in the Rep's Crime Prevention section starting on Page 23, will mean less time spent on administration and more left for enforcement. Even with these pluses, Dibblee stressed that an eyes-wide-open policy of awareness is still needed. "We're never going to eliminate drugs from our community," he said. "But we're definitely getting a strong handle on it." Crime Prevention Week from May 8 to 15 isn't just an opportunity for us to thank law enforcement for all their hard work. It's also an opportunity for us to acknowledge our own social responsibility in counteracting crime. If you'd like more information about contributing, call Leduc RCMP at (780) 980-7200. - --- MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman