Dawson Creek Detachment

Year End Report

2021
S/Sgt Damon P Werrell
 Table of Contents

RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
CRIME TRENDS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4
COMMUNITY POLICING / CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVES ................................................................................................... 6
ANNUAL POLICING PLAN PRIORITIES ....................................................................................................................................... 7
CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................................................... 9

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 RESOURCES
As of December 31st, 2021 the Detachment maintained 3x HARD vacancies. One of those positions has been
named and we are awaiting the arrival of the new Corporal whom is presently going through the transfer
process to Dawson Creek. A selection has been made regarding the other 2x outstanding hard vacancies,
those incumbents should be named in the near future. A new recruit started in January, 2x additional recruits
are anticipated in February, and a 10yr member will be transferring and arriving in Dawson Creek in March.

As of December 31st, the Detachment was carrying 6 SOFT vacancies which included the following:

• 4x members on maternity/paternity leave

• 2x members off-duty for personal illness or injury

At least three of those members are anticipated to return to duty within the next 1-2 months.

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 CRIME TRENDS

For the (calendar) year of 2021 the Dawson Creek RCMP responded to a total of 8,874 calls for service, this is
up 8% from last year when the Detachment responded to 8,186 calls for service.
Of those, Dawson Creek RCMP responded to 6,975 (79%) calls for service within the City of Dawson Creek and
1,899 (21%) within the rural surrounding area. Comparative to last year for the same time period, this equates
to an increase of calls for service within the city of 9% and an increase of calls for service in the rural area of
6%.
The following trends have been outlined for the 2021 Calendar year regarding calls for service and pro-active
investigations when compared against the 2020 Calendar year:

• Theft of vehicle
o There were a total of 122 calls for service, whereas there were 90 calls for service for the same time period last year.
This is an increase of 36%.
• Theft from vehicle
o There were a total of 111 calls for service, whereas there were 135 calls for service for the same time period last
year. This is a decrease of 18%
• Break and Enter to Residence
o There were a total of 89 calls for service, whereas there were 64 calls for service for the same time period last year.
This is an increase of 39%.
• Break and Enter to Business
o There were a total of 78 calls for service, whereas, there were 51 calls for service for the same time period last year.
This is an increase of 53%.
• Assault/Assault with Weapon/Aggravated Assault
o There were a total of 239 calls for service, whereas there were 226 calls for service for the same time period last
year. This is an increase of 6%.
• Sexual Assault/Sexual Interference
o There were a total of 43 calls for service, whereas there were 36 calls for service for the same time period last year.
This is an increase of 19%.
• Drug Possession/Drug Trafficking
o There were a total of 54 calls for service, whereas there were 110 calls for service for the same time period last year.
This is a decrease of 51%
• Impaired Driving (alcohol and drug), 24hr Suspensions, Immediate Roadside Prohibition
o There were a total of 193 calls for service, whereas there were 204 calls for service for the same time period last
year. This is a decrease of 5%
• Motor Vehicle Collision
o There were a total of 370 calls for service, whereas there were 357 calls for service for the same time period last
year. This is an increase of 4%.
• Theft (including shoplifting)
o There were a total of 384 calls for service, whereas there were 294 calls for service for the same time period last
year. This is an increase of 31%.
• Mental Health
o There were a total of 364 calls for service, whereas there were 354 calls for service for the same time period last
year. This is an increase of 3%.
• COVID Contravention-related Calls
o There were 139 calls for service whereas there were 38 calls for service for the same time period last year
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Calls for service compared to the previous year have significantly increased. This is likely due; in part, to the
beginning of the COVID pandemic in 2020, which saw entertainment-industry businesses shut down and travel
advisories in place. When we compare 2021 calls for service against years previous to 2020 we continue to see
a downward trend in overall crime volume (2017 -8% // 2018 -9% // 2019 -5%).

Total Calls for Service 2021 CRIME TRENDS

10000

9500
Other

9000
Property
8500
Drugs Crimes
8000

7500 Persons
Crimes
7000
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Total Calls for Service

Property crime continues to be the driving factor behind the majority of calls for service contributing to nearly
50% of all calls for service, while person’s crimes (Assaults) continues to climb slowly each year.

Crime Type Comparison 2019-2020-2021

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
Theft Theft of MV Assaults Mental Health Act Drugs

2019 2020 2021

Over 2021 we observed significant increases over 2020 in all crime categories. When comparing to 2019, we
can note there are slight decreases over most areas of property crime with slight increases in the area of
person’s crimes (Assaults). This suggests that both property crimes and person’s crimes should again be a
consideration for the 2022 policing priorities.

Over 2021 Dawson Creek RCMP:

Submitted 434 files to Crown Counsel for charge approval
• Seized 132 firearms
• Seized 109.17gr of Cocaine, 24.2gr of Heroin, 206.07gr of Methamphetamines, and 49.62gr of Fentanyl
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 COMMUNITY POLICING / CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVES
Dawson Creek RCMP participate in several community events or community committees throughout the
year. While COVID-19 prohibited attendance at some events this year, our members were still able to
participate in the following throughout 2021:
• Remembrance Day ceremonies
RCMP officers in red serge participated in the
ceremonies and took post at the cenotaph in
Dawson Creek.
• Schools
S/Sgt WERRELL participated in ZOOM lunches
with multiple schools and classrooms
throughout the Dawson Creek area. RCMP
officers also participated in multiple school
lockdown drills with several different schools
• High School Grad
RCMP members in red serge escorted grads
during the red carpet event
• Nawican Friendship Center
Cst WHITTAKER volunteers with Nawican
Friendship Center and served dinner at the
Elder’s Christmas Dinner. S/Sgt WERRELL
served Thanksgiving Dinner in Red Serge at
the Nawican. The Detachment participated in
a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Nawican
Burgereon Community Centre. Detachment
members participated in the Residential
School March with community members and
participated in the MMIWG walk at Nawican
• Sports Programs
Cst. FISCHER, Cpl BRAND, and S/Sgt WERRELL
volunteer to coach baseball this summer and
have been coaching hockey over the winter.
• Movember Campaign
Cst WHITTAKER spearheaded the campaign
this year raising $1210, the 2nd highest
amount in the North.
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• Community Advisory Committee
Cst. VANHIE continues to be part of the
Community Advisory Committee and
participates in meetings when they are held.
• Integrated Case Assessment Team (ICAT)
Cst. VANHIE , Cst. JONES, and Cst.
WHITTAKER have all volunteered with the
ICAT committee and participate in the
committee to assess high risk domestic
violence matters.
• Cops for Cancer
Cst. VANHIE and Cst. YU represented the
Dawson Creek Detachment in the 2021 Cops
For Cancer ride.
• Christmas Donations
The Detachment sponsored multiple seniors
this year. The detachment members
purchased gifts for 16x elders at the senior’s
residence to ensure they were not forgotten
during the holiday season.
• Dawson Creek Sportsman Club
Cpl. MCDOUGALL joined as the Detachment
liaison to the Sportsman’s Club at which he
volunteers safe shooting information and
other tips and tricks.
• Community Opioid Action Team (COAT)
The Detachment maintains a liaison on the
COAT which resulted in officers receiving
naloxone kits to hand out to at-risk
individuals.
 ANNUAL POLICING PLAN PRIORITIES
#1 Traffic – Impaired Driving
Objective:
1. Complete a minimum of 2x impaired roadblocks each month in the Dawson Creek area before March 30th, 2022

Final Update
Given resourcing shortages throughout the year the Detachment did not reach it’s target of 2x impaired roadblocks each
month. Rather, as time allowed, officers completed proactive patrols during which they sought out criminal activity,
resulting in:

65x immediate roadside prohibitions

9x 24-hr suspensions
7x impaired criminal code charges

Multiple training opportunities were provided to the officers including training in both the Intoximeter and the roadside
screening device.

#2 Substance Abuse – Drugs

Objective:
1. Join the Community Opiate Action Team Committee and participate in meetings before March 30th, 2022

Update
A liaison was identified at the beginning of the year and assigned to join the committee and participate in meetings as they
were held. The Detachment liaison participated in multiple meetings throughout the year, eventually securing naloxone
kits for hand out to at-risk community members – donated by the COAT (now called Community Action Team – CAT). The
Detachment liaison continues to be a part of CAT.

#3 Property Crime – Break and Enters and Theft from Vehicles

Objective:
1. Complete 12x (monthly) property crime prevention media releases before March 30th, 2022
2. Access grant applications to further property crime prevention initiatives before March 30th, 2022
3. Develop and initiate the CAPTURE (Community Aided Policing through Use of Recorded Evidence) project before March
30th, 2022

Update
Throughout the year, the Detachment sent out monthly pro-active media releases to the community intended to provide
reminders as to how to avoid becoming a victim of crime.

The Detachment applied for a property-related grant through the Civil Forfeiture Grant Funding opportunity, however the
grant was not approved. No other grants were applied for throughout this year.

The CAPTURE project has moved forward and is continuing to be developed in consultation with EDIV RCMP. While not
completed this year, the project will continue into the new year policing priorities with hopes to have the program up and
running in 2022.

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#4 Police/Community Relations & Police Visibility:
Objective:
1. Create a bike patrol before March 30 , 2022.
th

2. Participate in ZOOM lunches with schools in the area before March 30th, 2022
3. Secure Detachment cultural awareness training before March 30th, 2022
4. Establish a restorative justice program before March 30th, 2022

Update
The COVID pandemic restricted the ability for the Detachment to obtain the necessary training which would allow officers
to conduct a bike patrol. For this reason, a bike patrol was not established as hoped.

In excess of 15 ZOOM lunches were completed by the Commander with schools and classrooms throughout the Dawson
Creek area. This project was very well received by the school.

The Detachment has made contact with a potential candidate able to provide cultural awareness training to the
Detachment. Plans continue to be underway and it is hoped this training may be completed within the next few months.

Contact has been made with the EDIV RCMP restorative justice coordinator as well as the restorative justice coordinator in
Fort St John. While there are no firm timelines, the Detachment is proceeding to identify a restorative justice program for
Dawson Creek. At present we are trying to identify a non-profit society that may be interested in taking on the restorative
justice program for our area.

#5 Person’s Crimes
Objective:
1. Participate in the roll out of the ICAT program in Dawson Creek prior to March 30th, 2022
2. Provide information as to how to conduct a criminal record query to the community prior to March 30th, 2022
3. Research, prepare, and provide sexual assault consent presentation to schools in the area prior to March 30th, 2022

Update
The Detachment assigned a liaison and worked with the ICAT committee to get the program up and running in Dawson
Creek. The Detachment liaison remains a part of the committee and assists with the evaluation and response plan for
high-risk domestic violence matters in our area.

The Detachment researched and sent out information via TWITTER to the community as to how one might query the
criminal background/history of a potential “date”. This information remains available for reference on the Detachment’s
TWITTER account.

The Detachment researched applicable information and have prepared presentation material to be presented to schools
in the area. COVID has prevented in-person presentations and the responsible officers are presently looking into
alternatives to get this information into the schools.

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 CONCLUSION
Over the last 6 months the Detachment suffered extreme resource shortages as a result of outgoing members
and the delay in getting them replaced. These shortages were supplemented by overtime shifts offered to
officers in surrounding Detachments. This ensured that quality service delivery continued to be provided to
the Dawson Creek area and also that officers did not suffer from burnout. Over the next 2 months, I anticipate
at least seven new officers arriving for duty which will substantially improve the present resource shortage.

Most crime areas show significant increases when compared to 2020, but when compared to previous years
in 2019, 2018, and 2017 crime continues to indicate a decline in calls for service. This indicates that the year
2020 may have been an anomaly with abnormally low calls for service. Taking 2020 into consideration, I
believe that crime in the area continues to show a downward trend.

Over the next year the Dawson Creek RCMP will continue to develop priorities which support crime reduction
and those which promote a safe and healthy community. Partnerships remain essential to reducing crime in
the area and we recognize the numerous partners and stakeholders whom we work with throughout the year.

The Dawson Creek RCMP commit to continue to use innovative and advanced investigative strategies to
ensure the safety and security of the citizens of Dawson Creek and rural surrounding areas. I welcome input
from the community we serve and welcome you to contact me directly to discuss any concerns you may have;

Respectfully in your service,

(Damon P Werrell) S/Sgt

Detachment Commander
Dawson Creek RCMP-GRC
(250)784-3700

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