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The downtown statistic Chief McLaren shares is one of the best news stories of the first quarter for police, and part of a package recently presented to the police services board. The overall number of reported crimes in the city fell by almost six per cent during the first three months of this year. Motor vehicle theft is down 53 per cent from last year during the same time period and drug offences are down by 38 per cent. Youth crime was down by 44 per cent. The only bad news is that fraud cases have grown by nearly 30 per cent, mainly from counterfeiting, and robberies have also increased. But the chief is happy overall. "I think pro-active policing is part of this, and our citizens are taking more crime prevention steps, too," says the chief, such as keeping their doors locked and not leaving purses unattended. "As well, our partnerships, such as with the (Downtown Business Improvement Area) for instance, help out, too." The chief notes the visibility of officers in the downtown core plays a helpful role. He says the police service has been able to commit more time to foot patrols downtown and the results have been positive. "Our officers are also in the school systems, teaching respect through different programs," such as the Values Influences Peers program. "These are some of the concerns of the Peaceful
Communities survey," notes Chief The chief notes there is traditionally less crime during the first quarter of the year, but says he is pleased because these numbers are still significantly lower than the same period last year. |
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