While RCMP staff housing has been approved at the provincial level, it has been stalled at the federal level Sgt. John Pike informed Castor council during the Sept. 12 meeting.
Pike, in council providing an update on crime statistics, brought up the recurring question about the possibility of getting an RCMP member to live in the community.
According to Pike, he submitted a business case to his superiors on the benefit of providing an RCMP staff accommodation in Castor, which was approved.
However, with the province continuing to discuss a transition to a provincial police force, Pike says that the people at the federal level in charge of financing such a project are hesitant to do so.
Apparently, the new, long-promised, detachment for Coronation has fallen victim to the hesitation as well, with the federal government not wanting to spend money until the province decides what it is going to do.
“I think it would be great to have members living here,” said Pike.
As far as criminal matters go, Pike noted his officers are still dealing with a significant number of impaired drivers, though they are being mainly dealt with through provincial sanctions instead of criminal code.
“(Provincial sanctions) will hit you harder than criminal code will,” said Pike.
“For impaired, we’re only charging if you are a repeat offender.”
With the provincial sanctions, a driver caught driving impaired will face an immediate 90-day driving suspension followed by 12 months where driving is allowed provided a blow-box is installed on the vehicle.
A subsequent offence will result in another 90-day full suspension followed by three years with a blow box installed on the vehicle.
A third offence will result in another 90-days, and a lifetime requirement for a blow-box on any vehicle someone drives.
If a driver decides not to participate in the provincial blow-box program, they will remain with a full suspension for the year, three-years, or life-time as the case may be.
Pike also noted that there had been a significant number of thefts occurring in Castor lately. He noted that some ways to avoid becoming a victim to crime include not leaving valuables out and for businesses to keep their cash drawers open, and empty, at night.
A final note Pike left with council was to do with reporting. Pike said that a large number of calls come in during off hours to the detachment’s administrative line, which is not monitored 24 hours a day. Instead, Pike asks that for non-emergency crime reporting, people in the community call 403-578-3622, a number which is monitored 24-hours a day and can dispatch officers if needed.
Additionally, non-emergent crimes can also be reported online using the RCMP app available on Apple and Google stores.