Kamloops RCMP release report on first half of 2020

Photo: Brendan Kergin

The first half of 2020 saw an increase of property crime as the Kamloops RCMP adjusted to a city dealing with a pandemic.

In a report presented to the city's community services committee earlier this month, statistics showed a sharp increase in property crimes in the first two quarters of 2020. The increase started before COVID-19 impacted the community, and was being felt across the Southern Interior, according to the report.

Break-and-enters of businesses doubled in the first quarter of 2020, compared to 2019, while there was less of an increase at residences. Theft from motor vehicles increased by 62 per cent, while theft of motor vehicles more than doubled, with 85 vehicles stolen during the first three months of this year.

In the second quarter, break-and-enters at businesses continued to be an issue, with more than twice as many reported incidents, when compared to the same period in 2019. However, other categories saw a decrease, including break-and-enters at homes, shoplifting, thefts from vehicles and theft of vehicles.

RCMP note this is likely due to the COVID-19 restrictions, people staying at home and the CERB program.

Petty crime reduction efforts were likely hampered by the fact the court system wasn't keeping individuals in jail after they were arrested and charged for minor crimes.

"Offenders who would normally be remanded were/are not being remanded in custody except in the most extraordinary circumstances when public safety was at risk. Very few Kamloops property crime offenders, if any, have been remanded," the report states.

It goes on to say that prolific offenders have been caught multiple times, but police have had no other option but to release them with a future court date. Many continue to offend, according to the report.

Additionally, the pandemic's impact on the court system could last for quite some time.

"The backlog in the court system will likely take many months, if not years, to overcome," the report says.

Domestic abuse cases (dubbed as 'violence in relationships' by RCMP) also saw an increase at the height of the pandemic lockdown, with April seeing the largest increase.

"The second quarter showed the effect of COVID-19 with 384 calls related to violence in relationships, a 22 per cent increase or 69 more calls for service than in 2019," the report states. "This is likely as a result of more couples and intimate partners faced with the stress of staying at home with the additional social pressures related to the COVID-19 shutdown."

Mental health calls also increased this year, compared to last, notably in the second quarter (10 per cent more calls).

"This increase was expected given the added pressures caused by the pandemic, and these numbers are consistent with all areas within the South East District," notes the report. "The calls for service related to mental health and addictions has been on the rise, and police have few tools available to meet the increasing demands."

In the report, Kamloops RCMP Supt. Syd Lecky says he'd like to see a second nurse funded for the Car 40 program.

One positive is that there's been fewer missing people.

"This was likely as a result of the community’s response to the global pandemic as businesses, and recreation centres were closed," the report says. "People remained home with family units, which increased monitoring of individuals that may have been socializing with friends, and failing to report youth missing from care homes, or overdue travellers."

The report also notes Kamloops RCMP operations were impacted by the pandemic; officers from support units were pulled to assist with frontline duties. As things have begun to stabilize, Mounties are returning to the those units.