File photo of local RCMP responding to an incident on Kalamalka Lake Road (Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Local Crime Stats

Vernon’s crime rates rose in third quarter

Nov 13, 2025 | 11:25 AM

The City of Vernon saw increased criminal activity in July through September this year.

The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP’s quarterly report showed there were 1,805 criminal code violations in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025. That was up 4.63 per cent from the 1,725 criminal code offences recorded in Q3 of 2024.

Among those Q3 crimes were 328 violent offences, also up 5.8 per cent from 310 violent acts in the same period the year before.

The RCMP said local officers also responded to 5,181 calls for service during the latest reporting month, which was up 4.47 per cent from 4,959 calls in the same three month stretch in 2024.

It was noted that property crime in Vernon did decline in Q3 of 2025. The RCMP said there were 961 offences during the latest reporting period, down 2.03 per cen from the same quarter the year before.

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Vernon Rural had similar crime trends to the city, though the District of Coldstream saw some differences in Q3.

The RCMP report said Vernon Rural saw 105 criminal code violations (-8.69 per cent annually), 23 violent offences (+15 per cent), 518 calls for service (+7.02), and 42 property crimes (no change).

Coldstream meanwhile recorded 105 criminal code violations (-8.69 per cent), including 20 violent crimes (-23.07 per cent), as well as 421 calls for service (+3.95 per cent) and 61 property crimes (+3.38 per cent) during the latest reporting period.

The RCMP report stated local Mounties continued to work on targeted policing throughout the North Okanagan during the latest reporting period, which included closing a 2024 investigation into drug trafficking and charging two people in connection with the case; arresting three people allegedly involved in a targeted residential shooting in 2024; forwarding further charges against a person accused of commercial break and enters earlier in 2025; and assisting with an investigation into a prolific offender for breach of Conditional Sentence Order.

The report stated there were 11 known prolific offenders in Greater Vernon and the North Okanagan as of the end of the reporting period. Four of those people were in custody, three were known to be within Vernon, two were in the North Rural area, and the other two were located in other communities.

It was also noted that the four people in custody were considered to be repeat violent offenders.

The Special Victim’s Unit also assisted on eight reports of possession of child pornography that the B.C. Integrated Child Exploitation Unit was investigating locally. The RCMP did not state if those investigations resulted in any arrests, but did say the local unit was involved in interviewing 17 victims of sexual assault and crimes against children in Q3.

Vernon’s Integrated Crisis Response Team responded to 99 calls for service and were involved in follow-ups for 30 addiditional investigations in Q3. To date, the team had responded to 434 mental health files, though the RCMP said that was down from the 480 files in the same nine month period in 2024.

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said they also continued their community outreach work in Q3 through working with local schools and youth, hosting a Coffee With a Cop event, and working through the Community Safety Office to support the Folks on Spokes and Anti-Tag teams.

The RCMP Q3 report was presented to Coldstream Council for information at the regular meeting Monday, Nov. 10. It will be presented to Vernon Council at a future meeting.