While calls for police service are on the rise in Atikokan, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, said Rainy River District OPP detachment commander Insp. John Kendrick. With crime holding steady for the most part, a higher number of calls for service likely points to residents being more vigilant reporting crime – and the 911 service here has now also made calling the OPP communications centre a bit easier.
Criminal activity “really hasn’t changed a lot in the past three years,” said Insp. Kendrick, adding the nature of many calls are “more proactive than reactive.”
During June, July, and August the OPP’s Kenora dispatch centre logged 157, 154, and 173 Atikokan calls, up roughly 20% from the same months in 2008 (115, 140, and 145) and 2007 (125, 144, and 135). However, OPP laid the same total number of charges during June and July this year (57), as during those two months in 2008. (Charges were up from June and July, 2007 however; 24 were laid in that period.)
Monthly variations can skew such a small volume of incidents because slight variations can drastically change the crime rate in any given month, said Insp. Kendrick For example, when police investigate two incidents of domestic sexual assault in one month and none the next, the instances of that crime could be said to have decreased by 200%.
However, a low crime rates does make it easy for OPP to identify early, any trends of criminal behaviour in a community. That’s why the service does monitor both calls for service and charges closely
Survey shows high satisfaction with OPP
Atikokan residents feel the safest of any community in the District, according to the District OPP’s 2009 community satisfaction survey.
Results came from 132 randomly selected respondents in Atikokan, 266 in Fort Frances, and 423 from the rest of the detachment area, indicated that District wide, 99.2% felt safe or very safe in their community. Atikokan respondents indicated the most satisfaction with OPP visibility in the community (3.46 on a 1 to 4 scale) and quality of service. They also expressed a slightly higher rate of satisfaction with the police officers’ community involvement and in overall policing than respondents in Fort Frances. Overall satisfaction with policing in the district averaged 94.3%, with 94.9% satisfied with police visibility on highways. Over 90% were satisfied with OPP enforcement of aggressive driving laws and drunk driving laws.
Across the District, 89% were satisfied with police response time to violent crimes, 90.7% with violent crime charges, and 82.2% for property crime charges.
When it came to community issues, Atikokan participants expressed the most concern with substance abuse, drugs in schools, and domestic violence. Of Atikokan participants surveyed, 57.6 % cited concern with drug abuse, 47.9 % with alcohol abuse and 35.6 % with drugs in schools occurring in the community. Those concerns mirror those expressed by Council here during an Atikokan PSB presentation in June, said Insp. Kendrick and show addiction is a clear concern to citizens here.
The survey results “catch my eye because of the size of the community,” he said, adding that an OPP drug research officer is gathering information to enhance education and enforcement efforts here.
The survey also identified that victims and witnesses of violent and traffic crimes in the detachment area were dissatisfied with the course of justice over 25% of the time – 6.1% more often than the persons accused or charged with the crime.
Insp. Kendrick said there are likely a number of reasons for that, with some possible factors being a lack of sufficient proof for charges or convictions, and lengthy court processes. While communities in the district have access to a victims’ service worker who serves as a liaison between the victim and the courts, Insp. Kendrick said the OPP would increase their level of follow-up contact with crime victims.
He added that the survey’s findings would be built into the detachment’s business plan. “Overall, I’m pleased with the results because people are feeling safe in their communities,” he said.
Noted • Two Atikokan officers are now trained in crime scene processing, with more scheduled to also receive training. Having local officers able to process a crime scene, including collection of evidence, will eliminate the delays typically experienced when waiting for a trained officer to travel in from elsewhere in the District. “It’s a huge benefit to the community,” said Insp. Kendrick.
• Overtime was low (4.5 hours) in August, despite a number of ongoing criminal investigations, PSB member Donna Kroocmo noted. That number is considerably lower than at other times with similar levels of criminal activity (overtime totaled 32 hours in June and almost 19 in July). Insp. Kendrick said the reason for that is the detachment has its full complement of 10 officers at the moment. Overtime rates increase when officers here are on leave and other officers cover their absence. “Right now, [overtime is down] because Atikokan is very well staffed.”
• The OPP professional standards bureau is investigating two formal complaints of harassment by three Atikokan officers earlier this summer. Originally three complaints were lodged by three individuals, but one has since been cleared after being dropped by the complainant. The incidents are related as the complainants are all acquainted, said Insp. Kendrick.
• Atikokan has received its yearly grant from the RIDE program in the amount of $7, 333.
• Kroocmo has been re-appointed to a three-year term as board member.
• In follow-up to last May’s board discussion about the safety of children at pedestrian crossovers, Councillor Bob Gosselin will speak with Council about the possibility of enhancing signage at intersections to encourage motorist caution. While the crossovers are not crosswalks and not enforceable as such (outside the times when a crossing guard is present), Insp. Kendrick said he would make sure officers conducting traffic safety education in the schools included a component on exercising caution at crossovers.
• Atikokan PSB will firm up it protocol with Council, including annual reports at televised meetings, and regular sharing of OPP business plans, quarterly reports, and monthly overtime costs to the Town clerk and treasurer. Secretary Debra Bruyere said she would speak with Town staff and Council to see if more policing information is desired.
• Board members will attend both a PSB zone meeting in Dryden October 21-23, and board governance training in Toronto, October 22 & 23.
• In June, police investigated the following incidents: assault (5), uttering of threats (1), break and enter (3), auto theft (1), theft under $5,000 (1), mischief (3), and one motor vehicle collision. Charges laid that month: 16 Criminal Code, 11 Highway Traffic Act, 2 Liquor Licence Act, 1 Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, 2 Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
In July, police responded to the following incidents: assault (3), uttering of threats (5), theft under $5,000 (5), and mischief (2). July’s charges: Criminal Code (11), Highway Traffic Act (9), Liquor Licence Act (3), and Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act (2).
August incidents: assault (5), uttering of threats (1), break and enter (2), theft under $5,000 (6), six for mischief, motor vehicle collision causing damage (1), and motor vehicle collision causing injury (1).
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