Newly released statistics show a marked drop in crime in Princeton in the first three months of 2018.
According to a quarterly report issued by the RCMP, criminal acts in town are significantly down in almost all categories compared to the same period last year, as well as to the last three months of 2017.
“I’m quite happy with the results,” said Corporal Chad Parsons.
There were 12 incidents of violent crime between January and March, compared to 22 last year.
Parsons said that is a result of the detachment’s prolific offender program, which targets residents living in the community under court conditions.
Officers check up on these offenders “on a daily basis,” he said.
“I would say it would be our proactive approach to policing and not giving offenders a chance [of recidivism]. “We are just holding people accountable before they are able to commit violent crimes…We will continue our proactive approach to known offenders in the community.”
There was one auto theft this year, compared to four in 2017, and a 33 per cent reduction in residential break and enters – to four from six. However there were 51 cases of property crime in the first quarter of 2018, compared to 45 during the same period last year, two break and enters to businesses compared to zero, and seven break ins to property classed as “other” compared to 4.
“I believe we can attribute that to some of our local offenders who we have been targeting and I believe we will see a decrease in the second quarter in that area,” said Parsons.
Related: EDITORIAL: There is less – not more – crime in Princeton
With the exception of break ins to businesses, and break ins to other non-residential properties, the 2018 numbers all compare favorable to the previous three months, he noted.
There were 16 calls for service this year related to the Mental Health Act, making it the most active area of duty second only to property crime.
Parsons said RCMP routinely deal with more than one mental health call per week.
“Sometimes we get a call for help, somebody has called a crisis line saying they are not in the best space right now and having feelings of hurting themselves,” he gave as an example of a typical call.
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