The Creston RCMP are busy as usual, responding to more than 1,000 calls for service in the first quarter of 2025.
While the overall number of files has remained steady compared to previous years, there has been a noticeable rise in violent crime.
Staff Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk provided an update to council noting 1,042 calls for service logged between January and March, with 547 in the municipality and 495 in the surrounding rural area.
The municipal share of calls, roughly 52.5 per cent, has historically been slightly higher and is expected to climb during the summer tourism season.
There has been an 11 per cent increase in violent crime within town limits and a seven per cent increase in the rural area, compared to the same period last year. While part of that may reflect better reporting, Buliziuk said the trend is concerning.
“One of the challenges, especially with the more serious offences, is the current bail system,” he said, describing the cycle where offenders are released quickly, often with conditions, and then re-arrested for breaching them.
“We're very seldom seeing offenders be incarcerated for periods of time. It's quite frequently some paperwork and a release, then us just dropping back into that cycle of having to address their behaviour going forward.”
Some violent crime categories, like uttering threats, saw a drop of 21 per cent municipally and 37 per cent rurally. These cases often involve intimate partner conflict and tend to be higher in the winter months, Buliziuk said.
Property crimes showed improvement, with Buliziuk crediting proactive policing and high visibility in problem areas. However, fraud-related offences continue to climb, especially scam calls targeting seniors — an issue largely outside the detachment’s control, as much of it comes from countries overseas.
He also highlighted a spike in breaches of conditions — but said that’s not necessarily bad news.
“It's actually a number that shows there's good police work going on,” he said. “It means we are successfully prosecuting (repeat offenders) who are then being released back into the community on conditions because of our close observations of them.”
Mental health-related calls remain a steady part of police work, with ups and downs in calls over the last year. Buliziuk praised local collaboration with Interior Health and other support services, especially in the last quarter of 2024.
“It's probably one of been one of the better experiences out of places I've worked, with collaboration and actually coming together to address the needs of some of these individuals – not just focusing on it being a criminal matter,” he said.
Unfortunately, strain on staffing levels at the RCMP have taken a toll. The detachment is now one member short, with 12 of 13 positions filled and officer currently seconded to Indigenous policing.
Despite solid numbers on paper, Buliziuk expressed concern about burnout.
“We're definitely starting to run into the fatigue factor with our front-line membership,” he said. “They've worked tremendously hard to keep those numbers down, but that comes at a cost. We're now starting to be at a point where I need to shift some of my initiatives towards resting our members as well.”
Only one officer used their full vacation allowance last year, and many carried over time they were unable to take. Buliziuk said he plans to shift the detachment’s goals and work towards prioritizing rest and recovery.
On a positive note, the detachment continues to be active in community outreach, with officers involved in high school programming, drug awareness talks, and local sports. One member coaches youth soccer and another sits on the Thunder Cats’ board.
The Creston RCMP is preparing for their second annual charity golf tournament on June 28 in support of Cops for Kids.
“Almost every member sits on that charity committee,” Buliziuk said.
