PORT MCNEILL, B.C. – Police in Port McNeill have released their crime statistics for the summer. The quarterly report covers the months of July, August and September.
The Port McNeill RCMP detachment surveys the Town of Port McNeill, Zeballos, Oclucje, Ehattesaht, Kyuquot, Sointula, Woss and undeveloped areas.
Detachment Commander Sergeant Andrew Phillips listed the following strategic priorities for the 2018/2019 fiscal year in the report:
Priority: Traffic – Road Safety
Objective – reduce collisions and traffic related offences by maintaining a presence and enforcement on our Highways and in our local school zones.
Priority: Youth – Positive Impact on Youth
Objective – Build and maintain a positive relationship with the youth in our communities through school visits, patrols, presentations and special programs.
Priority: Crime Reduction – Community Safety and Security
Objective – Build and maintain positive relationships with local stakeholders. Generate positive information sharing through regular meetings, and interaction.
Objective – Focused enforcement on Priority offenders.
Priority: Aboriginal Policing – Community & School Involvement
Objective – Maintain and enhance positive relationships with all individual First Nation Communities.
Priority: Domestic Violence Prevention
Objective – Regularly meet with local partner agencies to develop, and enhance
strategies to reduce the occurrence and severity of domestic violence in our communities.
BOOST IN CALLS FOR SERVICE
Phillips noted that during the second quarter of 2018, the detachment generated 499 total files, up from 432 during the same time period last year.
Port McNeill saw 364 calls, with 32 for Zeballos/Oclucje/Ehattesaht, 31 for Kuyoquot and 72 for Woss/Sointula and undeveloped areas.
SIGNIFICANT INVESTIGATIONS
Phillips said the wildfires in Zeballos over the summer kept the detachment very busy, with a continued threat from recent landslides caused by heavy rains.
“This crisis has continued to date with the threat shifting from the wild fires, to now unstable steep slopes that pose a land slide risk. Several homes remain evacuated due to this new threat with no obvious end in site,” he said in the report.
During the annual Orca Fest celebration and softball tournament on August 17th to 19th, Phillips said “a project was put into place to add extra resources from partner RCMP sections such as traffic section as well as to add members to current shift strength to fortify police presence and add patrol coverage.”
“This saw a dramatic decrease in complaints about public consumption of alcohol, disturbances, residential parking issues, and Impaired driving.”
Extra patrols were put on shift during the August 25th music festival in Hyde Creek. Phillips said the event was a great success with no major issues being reported.
He added that the detachment also worked to boost awareness on boater safety.
“A seasonal policing initiative was put into place with Port McNeill members being shifted to conduct boat / vessel safety check out on the water utilizing the Port McNeill patrol vessel,” he said.
“In its onset this is more of an educational program to try to increase boating safety through police contact with the boating public and information sharing. Enforcement actions were at this stage reserved for blatant safety violations such as boating without proper floatation devices on board. This program was a success and will continue for the foreseeable future.”
Members of the Port McNeill detachment took part in a number of community events over the summer months.
Some of these events included the Canada Day festivities, Sointula’s Salmon Fest parade, the Orca Fest parade, a charity hockey game with the fire department that raised funds for Cops for Cancer and the firefighters burn unit.
On September 23rd, the local Royal Canadian Legion and police society members hosted the annual Cops for Cancer rider’s dinner.
The detachment continues to ask for the public’s assistance in keeping the community safe. Residents can report any concerns to the RCMP at (250) 956-4441 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
