It’s been a year of reshuffling for the Cochrane RCMP – a new sergeant took over, Sgt. Tom Kalis; the detachment hired a new crime analyst and a crime reduction unit was added, part of the province-wide Crime Reduction Strategy which received a $13.3 million injection to the RCMP from the Alberta government.
The latter has been one of the most significant changes for Cochrane. For the last five years, there was a dramatic surge in crime in the area and from 2014 to 2015 it nearly tripled to 3,101 incidents from 1,129.
But Kalis said 2018 has been a turning point. According to statistics collected by the department – which have not yet been publicly published – some of the biggest concerns for Cochranites like break and enter and assaults, are declining.
For the first three months of 2018, theft declined by 51 per cent. Kalis attributed it to the RCMP’s efforts of targeting repeat offenders who are responsible for the bulk of criminal activity such as minor property theft to auto theft and armed robberies.
A new program also started which has officers patrolling toe-point areas – communities with one way in and one way out – during the early mornings.
During one of those early morning patrols, an officer arrested four Calgary individuals who had entered Cochrane for the sole intention of stealing property.
“What we’re seeing is a shift in mentality ... our constables are talking less about what’s happening and more about whose in our community and who needs to be managed better.
“It’s been exciting for us because Cochrane has taken a leadership role in crime reduction.”
