Kamloops' crime rate -- qualified

City's Numbers Are High, But Not Worse Than Prince George Or
Nanaimo

When the focus is on crime prevention, Mark Huhn is comfortable saying
the city has a "very high crime rate."

After all, as someone whose life is dedicated to the eradication of
crime, the statistic he has researched in recent months stands out.

But for Mayor Terry Lake, the words "very high" when talking about
crime set off alarm bells such that, when the city's crime-prevention
officer used them during a meeting this past week, Lake -- noting the
presence of a reporter -- immediately asked for the statistic to be
qualified.

Huhn told the city's community safety partnership agreement committee
that crime in Kamloops is no worse than Prince George or Nanaimo, but
noted that, generally speaking, the rate of crime is higher in Western
provinces.

In particular, B.C. has the highest incidence of drug crime in the country.

In 2003, Kamloops had a record low reported for drug crimes; last year
was a record high, increasing 77.5 per cent in the three-year period.

Among the top offences in Kamloops are theft from vehicles, disturbing
the peace and alcohol-related incidences.

Provincially, most drug offences involve marijuana, but in Kamloops
there are more charges laid involving cocaine, something RCMP Supt.
Jim Begley said is a conscious decision by his force to target the
harder drug because those charges are more likely to be dealt with
forcefully by the judicial system.

Begley also told the group experience shows that as drug use is
reduced, crimes involving property also decreases.

The crime rate also tends to increase in the summer and when the city
hosts major events, Huhn said.

Huhn said he wasn't provided with information that would also quantify
the number of youth or First Nations offenders, but added that, in
conversation with some officers, he was told indications are the
amount of crime by First Nations people is not out of line with other
communities.

Huhn told the group the city is receiving money from the provincial
solicitor-general's ministry to hire a co-ordinator to deal with
preventing youth gang violence. He said Kamloops was identified as a
community that would benefit from this program because there is no
major problem at this time with youth gang violence.

The committee, which began meeting last year, brings many agencies to
the table.

In addition to the mayor, there are representatives from Interior
Community Services, the Elizabeth Fry Society, the John Howard
Society, the Crown counsel's office, probation and parole, the city's
bylaw-enforcement office, the school district, the North Shore
Business Improvement Association and the Kamloops branch of the
Canadian Mental Health Association, among others.

Missing are "the people who can write the cheques," Lake said, adding
he'll try to get the provincial Ministry of Employment and Income
Assistance, along with the Ministry of Children and Family
Development, to take part in the process as well and hopefully provide
funding to implement some of the suggestions.

The committee's goal is to set priorities for a "community safety
partnership."

Those priorities, Huhn said, include dealing with prolific offenders,
substance abuse, youth crime, "hot spots" for crime, focusing on the
most frequent offences, focusing on victims and fear of crime,
anti-social behaviour and prostitution.

The committee is creating subcommittees to look at the various
priorities and develop action plans to address the issues. This is
likely to happen in the fall.