ESTEVAN — The Estevan Police Service saw a slight decrease in call volumes in November, but the overall number of calls remained up for the first 11 months of the year.
The Estevan board of police commissioners gathered on Dec. 5 to go through the crime statistics for November and discuss other current issues.
The EPS had 489 calls for service in November, a decrease from 513 a year earlier.
For the first 11 months of the year, the agency had 7,421 calls for service, a 21.1 per cent increase from the same period in 2022, when they had 6,123.
"The numbers are fairly consistent with last November. Year-to-date, calls for service are up from last year but … it's in line with our five-year average. So we're setting up the pre-pandemic levels in terms of calls for service," said Estevan Police Chief Rich Lowen.
The year-to-date, five-year average is 7,511, which is 1.2 per cent higher than the total for 2023.
The EPS laid 11 charges under Criminal Code traffic violations in November, up from nine over the same time a year ago. Ten were impaired/exceed-related offences, and one was for impairment by drug.
On a year-to-date basis, this type of crime is on the rise the most. The EPS dealt with 143 Criminal Code traffic violations over the first 11 months of this year, which is a 43 per cent increase from 100 over the same period of time in 2022. Leading the way are the impaired/exceed-related offences at 111, followed by 18 impaired by drug charges and 14 dangerous driving and other.
So far this year, the EPS has handled 142 crimes against people, which is a three per cent increase from 138 last year. There have been 99 assaults, 31 sexual crimes, 10 assaults causing bodily harm, one attempted murder and one murder.
The attempted murder and murder were a part of November's crimes, along with seven assaults, two assaults causing bodily harm and two sexual crimes, for a total of 13 crimes against people in November 2023. In November 2022, there were 12 crimes against person in Estevan.
The EPS has had 365 crimes against property, an 11 per cent increase from the 329 in 2022. There have been 181 thefts under $5,000, 117 mischief or willful damage calls, 41 residential break and enters, 13 thefts of a vehicle, eight thefts over $5,000, two business break and enters, two arsons and one other break and enter.
November 2023 saw 25 crimes against property, as opposed to 35 a year earlier. Included in last month's total are 11 thefts under $5,000, six mischief or willful damage calls, four residential break and enters, three thefts of a vehicle and one arson.
No charges were laid under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in November as opposed to three a year earlier.
Twenty-seven charges were laid under the CDSA over the first 11 months of 2023, a four per cent decrease from 28 last year. Included in the total are 14 charges for trafficking and 13 for possession.
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The monthly report for Spec. Const. Anna Volmer, who is the city's bylaw enforcement officer, shows that she responded to 101 calls for service in November, with unkempt properties (25), animal calls (23) and parking violations (22) leading the list.
In the first 11 months of the year, she had responded to 1,215 occurrences, led by 247 animal calls, 233 unkempt property inspections, 194 parking violations, 78 snow-removal notices and 256 classified as other bylaw.
For the same period a year ago, she had 1,543 occurrences.
Member at larger Bernadette Wright inquired if anything was being done with the feral cat situation at Estevan trailer parks.
"We're working right now to formulate a plan. It's nice weather right now. Winter, of course, makes it more difficult for us to go out and trap. As we work into spring, that's going to be a focus for bylaw," said EPS Inspector Warren Morrical.
Chairman and Mayor Roy Ludwig noted that the trap-neuter-release (TNR) program funded by the city and implemented by the Estevan Humane Society continues, but not much was done last summer due to a lack of volunteers to help with it.
"They didn't do a lot last year, but I'm hoping through working together with the inspector and bylaw, we'll have more done," Ludwig said.
"They need volunteers to help them capture the cats," added city clerk Judy Pilloud.
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During the inquiries portions of the meeting, the board also discussed the digital speed-detecting signs. Coun. Rebecca Foord inquired if one that was located on Highway 47 North was reinstalled, and Lowen said it was being fixed and was supposed to be put back up eventually.
He also noted that they are expecting two more speed signs from SGI, which will bring the total to five plus a surreptitious speed spy.
The digital speed signs are placed around the community to show how fast drivers are going. The locations might be changed depending on community requests.
