By Sheldon Spackman

Priorities Identified

Council approves 2021 Blackfalds policing priorities

Mar 2, 2021 | 5:10 PM

Blackfalds town council has identified police and community relations, safe roads, and property crime as the town’s top three policing priorities for 2021.

The priorities were unanimously approved last Tuesday during council’s regular meeting and review of the RCMP’s Annual Performance Plan (APP).

The RCMP meets each year with its stakeholders and reviews priorities for the coming year.

Detachments also set priorities within their boundaries which reflect the trends they are seeing within their communities. The detachment must report quarterly to the RCMP in Ottawa on the status of their priorities and the level of completion.

In 2020, Blackfalds RCMP saw an increase in Mental Health Act calls for service from 71 in 2019 to 82 in 2020, and they have increased 67 per cent over the last five-years.

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Motor vehicle collisions have seen an increase over five-years of 59 per cent, suspicious person calls have increased by 81 per cent over five-years, and fraud has increased by 131 per cent over five-years.

Stats also show that crimes against persons in Blackfalds have increased over a five-year period by 19 per cent, with the largest increase occurring in criminal harassment. Property crime saw a decrease of 21 per cent from 2019 and a five-year decrease of 35 per cent.

Road safety continues to be an issue throughout Blackfalds, while crimes against persons has seen an increase over a five-year span, with an increase again in 2020.

Other priorities also considered included community engagement, a focus on crime reduction strategies, and to prevent and reduce crimes against persons.

However, by encouraging RCMP to choose police and community relations, property crime and safe roads as priorities, it’s hoped the community may see positive effects on the mental health of town residents, an overall stronger feeling of safety, and better relations through the building of trust.

In 2020, the pandemic derailed specific local priorities to be put in place in consultation with stakeholders, Town officials say.

Given the current situation with the ongoing pandemic, the Blackfalds Detachment Commander has asked each community they police to provide a list of three priorities which are relevant to their perceived needs by Feb. 28.

A virtual meeting will be held on Mar. 10 to discuss and complete those priorities as well.