Richard Froese
South Peace News
Peace Regional RCMP reports calls for crime were up in 2024 over 2023.
Officers responded to 8,566 calls for service in 2024 compared to 7,983 in 2023, an increase of 7.55 per cent, says Const. Julie-Ann Strilaiff, public information officer for the detachment.
“Peace RCMP was busy last year, with stolen vehicles and safety patrolling downtown Peace River being some of the larger issues throughout the year,” Strilaiff says.
“Despite news releases addressing just how many vehicles were stolen, the Lock It Or Lose It campaign and Operation Cold Start, throughout the year, people still left their vehicles running with keys inside or left their vehicles unlocked, leaving criminals the opportunity to gain access to the vehicles and drive away.”
While many local vehicles have been recovered throughout Alberta, or even in the region, burnt or stashed in the forest, many vehicles have not been recovered and returned to their rightful owners, she adds.
Police have faced many challenges in downtown Peace River where the dynamics of patrols and enforcement are changing.
“The RCMP have heard the frustration of business owners and citizens and is working with the Town of Peace River to try to find solutions for an issue that is being seen throughout the province, such as vandalism, mischief, break-and-enters, shoplifting and general loitering,” Strilaiff says.
Rural properties were also targeted when families were away from home for extended periods, she says.
“So, we still want to remind residents to have their property checked often,” Strilaiff says.
Police have boosted resources to combat property crime.
“One major tactical advantage we have going into 2025 is the increasing capabilities of cameras and technologies,” Strilaiff says.
“When there is a break-in or a vehicle fleeing down your street, it is extremely helpful to police to have clear footage which identifies the suspicious person or vehicle, and even better, can hear them.”
Police recommend high-quality surveillance equipment.
“When buying a system for your home or business or a dashcam, we suggest really paying attention to the quality of footage you have in your security systems,” Strilaiff says.
“Ensure you can see licence plates at the end of your driveway or can see identifying features on vehicles or on people at night.
“Additionally, ensure whichever camera system you use, can be reviewed any time, anywhere, even if the panel is destroyed or offline, and that you can actually extract the footage.”
Poor quality is useless.
“We have experienced calls where homeowners have the security systems in place, but the cameras are torn down by the suspect or in some break-and-enter cases, the control panel is removed from the house, leaving the homeowners unable to access any of their footage,” Strilaiff says.
“Having good footage of an incident could mean the difference of conviction or release in court.”
Consider registering your camera with Community Assisted Policing Through Use of Recorded Evidence (CAPTURE) online at ruralalbertacapture.ca.
“Speaking of cameras, much of Alberta’s RCMP detachments are rolling out the use of body cameras on officers, which have been helpful to RCMP all over the country,” Strilaiff says.
Upcoming, the RCMP is excited to be participating in the 2025 Peace River Powwow and the RIISK (Reducing Injury and Increasing Student Knowledge) program, which educates youth on the consequences of impaired driving.
Bike rodeos are gearing up to start in the spring, which aims to demonstrate to young children the importance of wearing a bike helmet and following the rules of the road.
As well, the detachment has started at Coffee with a Cop program, which will tour surrounding communities