Kelowna RCMP Supt. Kara Triance (Submitted photo/ RCMP)

By Pete McIntyre

Police report

Assaults, domestic violence and drug overdoses show spikes in Kelowna

Mar 1, 2022 | 4:30 PM

The head of the Kelowna RCMP says offences like assaults, domestic violence and uttering threats were up 25 per cent last year.

Superintendent Kara Triance also reported an alarming increase in drug overdoses, which increased the workload and stress of frontline officers, and a significant hike in social disorder calls in a report to city council.

The numbers were comparisons of year-over-year changes from 2019 to 2021.

Triance stated thefts from motor vehicles and shoplifting numbers are lower than 2019, but are rising and result from a small number of prolific offenders who have limited access to adequate care or consequences.

“The RCMP’s Community Safety Unit and Investigative Services are collaborating through a pilot project aimed at expanding capacity to address the increase in property-related crimes,” the superintendent remarked.

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Triance said Kelowna is not immune to the trends in persons offences being experienced in other communities across Canada.

“These trends are concerning although some were anticipated as they relate to the effect that COVID-19 has had on personal, familial and community conditions and routines. Many of these are complex, entrenched issues, requiring a multi-system response.”

The detachment has 63,888 calls for service in 201, a six per cent increase from 2019 (pre- pandemic).