Crime numbers drop downtown

Downtown crime statistics

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• Crime numbers in Prince George on the decrease in 2011
• Crime numbers up in P.G. in 2010
• Downtown Enforcement Unit getting the job done
• Prince George still high on crime stats list
• Crime task force set
• Passenger numbers up at YXS

The Prince George RCMP's Downtown Enforcement Unit has released comparison statistics for the downtown core of Prince George over the past two years.

And the numbers are promising

The statistics are for 17 types of calls for service from February 23, 2009 to February 22, 2010 and are compared to the same dates from 2010 to 2011, since the introduction of the Downtown Enforcement Unit.

Major reductions were noted in causing disturbances, unspecified assists and intoxicated in public. The former went from 672 calls in 2009/2010, to 440 calls in 2010/2011, a reduction in 35 per cent.

Unspecified assists, which police use to categorize a wide variety of assistance calls where there is no criminal element reported, went from 130 in 2009/2010 to 70 calls in 2010/2011. This is a reduction of 46 per cent. The latter, went from 713 calls in 2009/2010, to 285 calls in 2010/2011, a reduction in 60 per cent.

Of the remaining 14 types of calls for service, three were reduced significantly, thefts of motor vehicles, thefts from motor vehicles and suspicious persons/vehicles/occurrences. All went down by eight per cent to 22 per cent.

Possession of cocaine, breach of probation, bail violations and consuming liquor in public are the four significant increases in the statistics. These can be directly attributed to officer generated files as a result of increased patrols and presence in the downtown area. Possession of cocaine went up to 31 in 2010/2011, as compared to 21 files in 2009/2010. Breach of probation files went from 36 to 49, bail violation files went from 44 to 85 and consuming liquor in public went from 26 to 45 files.

Seven crime types were virtually unchanged.

"We are very pleased with the significant reduction in crime downtown and intend to continue our targeted enforcement efforts to reduce the crime rate even further,” said Cpl. Kent MacNeill, officer in charge of the Downtown Enforcement Unit. “These results were achieved as a result of the hard work and dedication of a few police officers who have spent countless hours walking the beat, conducting patrols, responding to all calls for service and most importantly building relationships with the street involved people, the service providers and local businesses. We recognize that there has been some displacement outside of the downtown core as a result of the increased police presence and we are committed to dealing with any problems which may arise.”

The Prince George RCMP define the Downtown area of Prince George to be the area within the borders of First Avenue, Victoria Street, Queensway and Patricia Boulevard.