JANUARY CRIME STATS DECLINE IN CITY

January 2005 was a quieter month for Barrie Police - at least as
compared to January 2004.

Last year, that's when the Molson pot bust took place - which drove up
the police service's overtime hours, to 7,051.25. This year, overtime
rings in at 2,497.

"It's basically business as usual for the month of January, nothing
remarkable," Police Chief Wayne Frechette told the Police Services
Board Tuesday night.

"Last year, we were right in the middle of (the grow-op bust). We were
still camped out there in significant numbers," he said of a year ago.
"

"The bulk of the overtime was from Molson, 5,000 hours in January and
February."

Overtime cost the police services $1,083,793 last year, which was
significantly more than the $759,000 the board had forecast.

Other overtime hours were wracked up during the Hell's Angel's court
hearing and a murder investigation last year.

Provincial offences are up this year over last - ringing in at 1,587
Highway Traffic Act offences, as compared to 925 last year. Liquor
Licence Act charges dropped to 59, from 72, and other statutes are
down slightly as well, to 83, from 98.