The La Ronge RCMP performed 135 residential patrols in February. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

annual report

Pandemic results in fewer calls for service to La Ronge RCMP

Apr 14, 2021 | 3:14 PM

There’s been a noticeable reduction in the number of calls for service in the Town of La Ronge between 2019 and 2020.

That’s according to statistics provided by the RCMP at a Committee of the Whole meeting held Tuesday in La Ronge. The data shows there were 3,524 calls for service in the municipality in 2018, 3,928 in 2019 and 3,339 in 2020. Between Jan. 1 and March 18 of this year, there have been 535 calls for service compared to 770 during the same time period last year.

In 2020, there were 11,365 calls for service covering the tri-communities, Hall Lake and Missinipe. Grandmother’s Bay and Stanley Mission are not included in the stats.

“It would be safe to say that COVID kind of slowed things down a bit for everybody, and it kept people indoors a lot more and they weren’t out and about,” said La Ronge RCMP Staff Sgt. Dean Bridle, adding there was a 26 per cent reduction in property crime.

The stats also show between April 2020 and March 2021, there were 712 tickets and warning issued in La Ronge area to motorists with 146 charges laid for impaired driving. There were 2,308 prolific offender checks, which involves officers knocking on doors and ensuring court-imposed conditions are being abided by.

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“For our search warrants, we had a goal of executing 17 search warrants and there were 31 executed this past year,” Bridle said. “I think we executed nine in the past couple of months. We’re getting some good results with those warrants being done and people are being held accountable.”

Officers with the detachment also performed 437 positive community acts by attending meetings or visiting at local schools. Bridle mentioned those acts are meant to build and maintain positive relationships between the RCMP and residents.

In February 2021, individual RCMP officers based in La Ronge were dispatched to an average of 51 calls. The also carry an average of 40 active investigations each.

“There’s an expectation of the members to go out and, now that it is getting warmer, they can get out and visit with the businesses along La Ronge Avenue,” Bridle said about upcoming foot patrols. “My expectation is the members there is no reason they shouldn’t be doing it throughout the week. It doesn’t have to be once or twice a week, it can be at any time.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno