Vernon North Okanagan RCMP in downtown Vernon (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Crime Stats

Greater Vernon crime numbers decrease: RCMP report

Feb 2, 2023 | 2:00 PM

The fourth quarter of 2022 saw a decline in calls for service, criminal code and property offences in Greater Vernon.

The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP’s fourth quarter report (Q4) was presented to the Regional District of North Okanagan’s Electoral Area Advisory Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

Supt. Shawna Baher’s update noted declines across Greater Vernon compared to the same period in 2021.

• Calls for Service in Q4 / Annual Totals
  • Vernon: 4,594, down 14.1 per cent / 19,590, down 6.5 per cent
  • Coldstream: 321, down 15.7 per cent / 1,414, down 15.3 per cent
  • Vernon Rural: 413, down 13.7 per cent / 1,731, down 7.5 per cent
• Criminal Code Violations in Q4 / Annual Totals
  • Vernon: 1,314, down 16.7 per cent / 5,854, down 0.03 per cent
  • Coldstream: 50, down 30.5 per cent / 314, down 8.7 per cent
  • Vernon Rural: 54, down 30.7 per cent / 248, down 22.9 per cent
• Property Offences in Q4 / Annual Totals
  • Vernon: 698, down 25.5 per cent / 3,398, down 4.2 per cent
  • Coldstream: 28, down 46.1 per cent / 188, down 5.5 per cent
  • Vernon Rural: 27, down 49.1 per cent / 157, down 16.9 per cent

The Q4 report noted 495 charges were forwarded and 269 prisoners were taken into custody in Vernon and Coldstream. Those bring the annual totals to 2,050 charges forwarded and 1,220 prisoners taken into custody in 2022.

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In Vernon, the most prevalent crimes and incidents police responded to in Q4 were Thefts Under $5,000 (270); Motor Vehicle Incidents (159); Assaults, including domestic violence cases (159); and Drug Offences (83).

The police activity in Vernon in Q4 included discovering drugs in a vehicle and arresting two individuals, an assault and attempted car jacking at a business, and using Police Service Dogs (PSD) to track down a break and enter suspect.

The report noted the investigation into a suspicious incident at a Vernon elementary school where an unknown man grabbed a child by the arm remains ongoing. The Serious Crime Unit is also involved in that investigation.

In Coldstream, notable cases included investigating a workplace death that was ruled accidental, arresting two men for assault with a weapon, and assisting with two separate residential fires that were both deemed not criminal in nature.

The local RCMP’s Sex Crime Unit investigated six separate reports of possession of child pornography in the fourth quarter, adding to the other 35 open cases they are investigating.

The Drug Section participated in joint enforcement with the Crime Reduction Unit in Q4 to investigate a drug trafficking case which is currently before the courts, arrest a man wanted on an outstanding drug trafficking warrant, and searched a residence leading to the arrests of numerous people and the seizure of large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and prescription pills.

The Opioid Pilot Project also saw 482 information cards distributed to individuals, 89 people referred to treatment or services, 13 information videos shown, and 679 Naloxone kits distributed to people.