Local RCMP detachments from Strathmore and Bassano that serve communities in Wheatland County gave the county council an update on activities to date at this week’s council meeting.

S/Sgt. Mark Wielgosz of the Strathmore RCMP Detachment outlined crime statistics for the region and programs that are underway within the region.

There are 13 regular members in the detachment, with four public service employees and 3 municipal employees in the watch clerk position.

About crime in the county overall, he said all areas had decreased, with the exception of break and enters.

Wielgosz noted that the RCMP has a number of programs to prevent, detect and deter crime in the urban and rural areas.

Two programs of note that the RCMP is working on, are the habitual offender management program and the community liaison program. The habitual offender management program sees police monitor offenders to ensure they comply with ordered conditions or face consequences for not complying with those orders.

“One of the programs we have, underway is our habitual management program and you can see we select offenders that are in our area that we're aware of based on the volumes of crimes they commit, the seriousness of crimes their commit, the likelihood of reoffending, and impact of the crimes that they commit on the community,” Wielgosz said.

“I call it old-fashioned policing where you know who are the people are in your community that are committing the crimes and we pay attention to them,” he said.

There are three habitual offenders that the local RCMP have their eye on.

In terms of the community liaison program, an RCMP member is assigned to a community group. According to the RCMP, the purpose of this program is to form a link with community groups to seek feedback on concerns and open channels of communication with respect to education, how to reduce or prevent victimization, and early identification of community cultural issues.

For this fiscal year, the Strathmore RCMP responded to 714 calls in Rocky View County and 478 in Wheatland County. That is a decrease from 810 and 592.