Sgt. Mike Wicentowich has released details on the development of the Trail and Greater District RCMP detachment’s annual performance plan (APP) for the next 12 months, specifically from April 1 this year to March 31, 2023.
The purpose of the APP is to identify the most important issues affecting communities within the Trail detachment.
“We conduct this exercise in order to establish policing priorities and develop objectives, initiatives and measures to address ongoing or emerging issues affecting your communities,” he explained in a memo to local governments.
“Generally, issues are identified via statistical information and crime trends from previous years,” he said. “The RCMP in your area intend to proactively dedicate resources and establish partnerships with other community agencies to address these prioritized issues.”
As an organization, he says the BC RCMP has identified three priorities to focus on over the next 12 months: enhanced public safety, including improving the RCMP approach to public safety issues through partnerships and collaboration with other community-based and social sector organizations; accountability and governance, meaning, in part, using financial resources transparently; and employee excellence and workplace culture, such as prioritizing the physical, mental health, wellness, and resiliency of BC RCMP employees.
Wicentowich outlined several key strategies that he will continue focusing on over the next 12 months. Those include raising awareness about crimes most affecting the area through regular media releases, and continuing to target road safety initiatives by conducting impaired driving enforcement in partnership with BC Highway Patrol. As well, he mentioned increasing police visibility in the community through foot patrols; and working with local governments, partners, and stakeholders to find solutions to reduce the impact of homelessness, mental health, addiction, and poverty.
He notes that despite a challenging time for policing over the past year, the Trail detachment has had several successes. These include:
The issuance of 64 public service announcements to bring awareness on how to prevent being the victim of theft and fraud;
Taking 67 impaired drivers off the road through enhanced enforcement in partnership with the BC Highway Patrol;
Attended regular formal and informal meetings and consultations to assist in developing strong community action to help manage issues surrounding homelessness, mental health, addiction, and poverty;
Conducted 24 foot patrols in downtown Trail to enhance visibility and public safety, some in partnership with Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue.
He notes that crime statistics within the Greater Trail district stayed relatively steady when comparing 2021 to the year previous; however, he said that total criminal code offences were down 2.8 per cent when compared to 2019. Turn to page 16 to read 2022’s first quarter crime statistics.