Law enforcement in British Columbia, 2005

This is a list of statistics in law enforcement in British Columbia in 2005, including crime rates, police strength, and police costs. In total there were 508,271 reported (non-traffic) incidents of Criminal Code offences, giving the province a crime rate of 120 offences per 1,000 people, the second highest in Canada.[5] This was down 5% from 2004's rate of 125, and was the first decrease since 1999-2000.[5] Of these crimes, only 22% were solved in the same year, including 52% of all violent crimes and 13% of all property crimes.[6] This resulted in 57,817 persons being recommended for charges to the Crown counsel, of which 81% were male and 10% were young offenders (between 12 and 17 years old).[6]

Reported crimes in BC
Category 2005 Δ 2004
Violent crime[1] 51,671 ↑3%
Homicide 98 ↓13%
Attempted murder 107 ↑23%
Non-Sexual assault 42,941 ↑3%
Sexual assault 3,794 ↑2%
Robbery 4,619 ↑2%
Abduction 112 ↓13%
Property crime[2] 265,246 ↓6%
Theft 158,701 ↓7%
Break and enter 49,611 ↓6%
Motor vehicle theft 34,800 ↓8%
Fraud 15,315 ↓1%
Possession of stolen goods 6,819 ↓8%
Drug crime[3] 25,810 ↓4%
cannabis 16,237 ↓10%
Cocaine 6,515 ↑8%
Heroin 586 ↑6%
Other drugs 2,472 ↑11%
Other crimes[4] 191,354 ↓1%
Vandalism 61,727 ↓1%
Disturbing the peace 48,667 ↑8%
Counterfeit 20,124 ↓15%
Offensive weapons 5,369 ↑6%
Harassment 4,388 ↑0.3%
Arson 2,912 ↑4%
Prostitution 1,801 ↓12%
Other 37,810 ↓2%

Law enforcement was supplied mainly by municipal forces, either an independent police department or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Municipalities with populations over 5,000 people using the RCMP paid either 90% or 70% of their costs, depending on their population size, with the federal government paying the remainder. Those municipalities under 5,000 people shared a detachment with the general rural area but did not pay any of the policing costs while the unincorporated rural areas paid a small, varied, amount through a general rural property tax. Other police forces operating within BC include 2 First Nations forces, a RCMP federal force, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service (now South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service), the Organized Crime Agency (Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit), Conservation Officer Service, the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railway police forces, and various municipal bylaw enforcement officers.[7]

Trend in overall crime rate.

In the following tables crime rates refer to the number of incidents of Criminal Code offences, excluding traffic offences, per 1,000 people. If an incident involved more than one offense, only the most serious was recorded in these statistics. The population figures were based on the Canada 2001 Census and estimated for 2005. These populations only include permanent residents, so municipalities with high numbers of visitors (from the rural areas, commuters, tourists, seasonal workers, etc.) are not counted and will result in a higher crime rate.[8] The total costs are the actual costs of police services at year end, not the budgeted costs. The case burden reflects the workload of each office: the number of offences, excluding traffic offenes, per officer.

Municipal detachments

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The 11 municipalities that operated their own police department paid 100% of the total costs. Their number of officers, policies and priorities were set by a municipally-appointed police board. The 59 municipalities which contracted their police duties to the RCMP "E" Division had their officers operate under provincial or federal policies and priorities. Of the municipalities which have population over 15,000 people paid 90% and municipalities between 5,000 and 15,000 people paid 70% with the federal government paying the rest.

  Low   Medium-low   Medium-high   High

Municipality[9] Population Police
officers
Residents
per
officer
Total costs
(2005)
Cost per
capita
Case
burden
Crime rate per
1,000 people
Police force
Abbotsford 128,165 187 685 $25,520,478 $199 81 118 Abbotsford Police Department
Burnaby 204,320 253 808 $32,596,229 $160 100 123 RCMP
Campbell River 30,810 40 770 $5,317,313 $173 137 178 RCMP
Castlegar 7,821 11 711 $1,115,574 $143 107 150 RCMP
Central Saanich 16,821 21 801 $3,044,111 $181 39 49 Central Saanich Police
Chilliwack 73,066 91 803 $11,237,991 $154 140 174 RCMP
Coldstream 10,102 7 1,443 $700,116 $69 54 38 RCMP
Colwood 15,253 16 953 $1,451,199 $95 73 74 RCMP
Comox 12,706 10 1,271 $957,851 $75 69 56 RCMP
Coquitlam 121,989 127 961 $16,899,493 $139 96 100 RCMP
Courtenay 21,801 26 838 $3,203,859 $147 155 182 RCMP
Cranbrook 19,774 24 824 $3,138,148 $159 108 131 RCMP
Dawson Creek 11,394 22 518 $2,444,888 $215 116 225 RCMP
Delta 102,661 74 680 $21,041,163 $205 80 151 Delta Police Department
Fort St. John 17,781 26 684 $3,785,705 $213 156 228 RCMP
Hope 6,591 13 507 $1,104,141 $168 91 180 RCMP
Kamloops 82,714 118 701 $14,967,841 $181 118 168 RCMP
Kelowna 109,490 131 836 $16,296,738 $149 125 150 RCMP
Kimberley 7,049 9 783 $669,599 $95 60 77 RCMP
Kitimat 10,587 15 706 $1,570,909 $148 49 70 RCMP
Ladysmith 7,292 7 1,042 $692,991 $95 85 81 RCMP
Lake Country 10,367 9 1,152 $734,960 $71 104 90 RCMP
Langford 21,845 24 910 $3,413,120 $156 102 112 RCMP
Langley (city) 25,716 9 584 $6,094,919 $237 102 176 RCMP
Langley (township) 97,682 123 794 $16,383,242 $168 86 108 RCMP
Mackenzie 5,454 8 682 $769,836 $141 74 108 RCMP
Maple Ridge 73,531 79 931 $11,164,050 $152 127 136 RCMP
Merritt 7,561 13 582 $1,184,129 $157 133 228 RCMP
Mission 34,742 47 739 $6,353,430 $183 125 169 RCMP
Nanaimo 79,898 114 701 $14,638,272 $183 125 178 RCMP
Nelson 9,797 17 576 $1,968,065 $201 80 139 Nelson Police Department
New Westminster 57,480 107 537 $15,890,669 $276 87 162 New Westminster Police Service
North Cowichan 28,519 28 1,019 $3,618,925 $127 100 98 RCMP
North Saanich 11,274 10 1,127 $945,598 $84 38 34 RCMP
North Vancouver (city) 47,131 64 736 $8,778,016 $186 86 117 RCMP
North Vancouver (district) 88,461 91 972 $11,745,082 $133 65 67 RCMP
Oak Bay 18,313 22 832 $3,561,807 $194 54 65 Oak Bay Police Department
Parksville 11,709 13 901 $1,160,543 $99 156 174 RCMP
Penticton 33,061 42 787 $5,078,972 $154 130 165 RCMP
Pitt Meadows 16,673 19 878 $2,006,575 $120 89 101 RCMP
Port Alberni 18,688 34 550 $4,656,790 $249 115 210 RCMP
Port Coquitlam 57,569 59 976 $7,681,729 $133 109 112 RCMP
Port Moody 28,458 40 711 $5,786,943 $203 47 67 Port Moody Police Department
Powell River 13,831 18 768 $1,916,311 $139 88 114 RCMP
Prince George 77,148 121 638 $15,524,482 $201 114 179 RCMP
Prince Rupert 14,974 36 416 $3,183,766 $213 85 204 RCMP
Qualicum Beach 8,807 6 1,468 $466,878 $53 118 81 RCMP
Quesnel 10,487 20 524 $2,716,970 $259 124 237 RCMP
Revelstoke 7,964 11 724 $982,406 $123 76 105 RCMP
Richmond 173,429 94 908 $26,291,594 $152 85 191 RCMP
Saanich 110,386 57 751 $9,423,610 $176 43 67 Saanich Police Department
Salmon Arm 17,000 17 1,000 $1,764,177 $104 103 103 RCMP
Sechelt 8,901 10 890 $904,999 $102 85 96 RCMP
Sidney 11,862 14 847 $1,286,671 $108 46 54 RCMP
Smithers 5,509 9 612 $939,155 $170 184 301 RCMP
Sooke 10,117 10 1,012 $999,748 $99 93 92 RCMP
Spallumcheen 5,707 3 1,902 $267,897 $47 87 46 RCMP
Squamish 15,922 25 637 $2,966,182 $186 130 204 RCMP
Summerland 11,405 9 1,267 $789,709 $69 86 68 RCMP
Surrey 393,256 552 712 $65,595,991 $167 90 127 RCMP
Terrace 12,556 25 502 $2,310,847 $184 103 206 RCMP
Trail 7,889 12 657 $1,346,353 $171 97 147 RCMP
Vancouver 584,701 1,174 498 $170,157,141 $291 58 117 Vancouver Police Department
Vernon 36,232 49 739 $5,971,747 $165 123 167 RCMP
Victoria 94,525 215 440 $31,063,866 $329 82 186 Victoria Police Department, includes Esquimalt
View Royal 8,382 8 1,048 $964,990 $115 88 87 RCMP
West Vancouver 46,595 79 590 $10,345,528 $222 35 60 West Vancouver Police Department
Whistler 9,775 23 425 $2,969,015 $304 86 202 RCMP
White Rock 19,577 23 851 $3,127,281 $160 72 84 RCMP
Williams Lake 11,872 23 516 $2,074,987 $175 130 252 RCMP
Average 687 $192 85 120

Provincial detachments

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The RCMP provincial force covers the 86 municipalities with populations below 5,000 people and the unincorporated rural areas surrounding all municipalities. These 112 detachments and 756 officers covered 720,443 people in a province of over 4.2 million people.[10] The costs of policing were shared between the provincial government (70%) and the federal government (30%). These municipalities did not make any direct contribution but the rural areas had some of their property tax covering a small portion of the provincial share. In some cases the municipal forces and provincial forces operated from the same detachment and reported to the same commanding officer but their statistics were kept separate.

Policing in First Nation communities was done under one of three programs with the costs being shared between the provincial (46-48%) and federal (52-54%) governments. Under the First Nations Community Policing Services (FNCPS) 48 officers served the aboriginal communities throughout the province. Where no FNCPS agreement was made between the band and the provincial and federal governments the Aboriginal Community Constable Program had 36 First Nations officers serving the communities. There were two independent First Nations Administered Police Services (FNAPS), autonomous of the RCMP: the Kitasoo-Xaixais Public Safety Department and the Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Service, with the Ditidaht First Nation Public Safety and Policing Services closing in 2004 (covered by the Lake Cowichan RCMP detachment in 2005).[11]

  Low   Medium-low   Medium-high   High

Detachment[12] Population Police
officers
Residents
per
officer
Case
burden
Crime rate
per
1,000 people
other communities within jurisdiction
Agassiz 9,269 12 772 114 148 Kent, Harrison Hot Springs, Harrison Mills
Alert Bay 1,615 3 538 73 136 Sointula
Alexis Creek 2,041 4 510 76 148 Alexis Creek First Nation
Anahim Lake 1,111 4 227 84 303 Ulkatcho First Nation, Nimpo Lake
Armstrong 4,940 6 823 77 94
Ashcroft 4,121 5 824 96 117 Cache Creek, Walhachin
Atlin 605 3 202 35 174
Barriere 4,277 4 1,069 68 63 Heffley Cree
Bella Bella 1,492 5 298 119 400 Namu, Ocean Falls
Bella Coola 2,413 3 804 130 162 Hagensborg
Boston Bar 944 3 314 41 130 North Bend
Boundary 12,587 12 1,049 87 83 Grand Forks, Greenwood, Midway, Kettle Valley, Christina Lake
Bowen Island 3,441 2 1,720 74 43
Burns Lake 7,346 10 735 177 240
Campbell River[Α] 5,305 7 758 88 116 Rural areas around Campbell River, Buttle Lake
Castlegar[Α] 6,360 4 1,590 62 39 Rural areas around Castlegar
Chase 9,232 8 1,154 109 94 Pritchard, Sun Peaks
Chetwynd 6,204 9 689 109 158 Moberly Lake, East Pine
Chilliwack[Α] 4,893 8 612 55 90 Rural areas around Chilliwack, Cultus Lake
Clearwater 5,837 5 1,167 83 71 Vavenby, Little Fort
Clinton 2,338 4 585 52 89 70 Mile House
Columbia Valley 10,133 12 844 117 138 Invermere, Radium Hot Springs, Canal Flats
Comox Valley 27,161 19 1,430 94 66 Cumberland, Fanny Bay, Royston, Union Bay
Coquitlam[Α] 2,412 3 804 33 41 Rural areas north of Coquitlam
Cranbrook[Α] 7,155 4 1,789 91 51 Rural areas around Cranbrook, Moyie, Fort Steele
Creston 13,871 12 1,156 33 81 Yahk, Riondel
Dawson Creek[Α] 8,755 4 2,189 99 45 Rural areas around Dawson Creek, Pouce Coupe, Rolla, Arras, Kelly Lake
Dease Lake 1,413 6 804 51 215 Lower Post, Telegraph Creek, Jade City
Duncan 13,699 21 652 145 223
Elk Valley 15,099 18 839 76 91 Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford, Roosville
Enderby 7,454 7 1,065 124 116
Falkland 3,459 3 1,153 41 35
Fort Nelson 6,632 14 474 86 182 Prophet River, Toad River, Liard River
Fort St. James 4,989 13 384 112 292
Fort St. John[Α] 14,163 10 1,416 86 61 Rural areas around Fort St. John, Taylor, Wonowon, Pink Mountain
Fraser Lake 3,699 5 740 58 78 Fort Fraser
Gabriola Island 4,035 3 1,345 25 19
Golden 7,914 10 791 74 94 Field, Donald
Granisle 543 3 181 44 241
Hope[Α] 1,433 5 287 44 152 Rural areas around Hope, Yale
Houston 4,832 6 805 84 104
Hudson's Hope 1,653 3 551 34 62
Kaslo 2,242 3 747 93 125
Kelowna[Α] 47,294 32 1,478 130 88 Rural areas around Kelowna, Peachland, Westbank
Kimberley[Α] 2,651 2 1,326 57 43 Rural areas around Kimberley, Skookumchuck
Kitasoo-Xaixais 319 2 160 46 285 First Nations Administered Police Services, Klemtu
Kitimat[Α] 562 2 281 37 132 Rural areas around Kitimat, Kemano
Ladysmith[Α] 6,101 5 1,220 78 64 Rural areas around Ladysmith
Lake Cowichan 6,460 9 718 107 150 Youbou
Lillooet 3,770 7 539 67 124 Shalalth
Lisims-Nass Valley 1,874 4 469 136 290 New Aiyansh, Laxgalts'ap
Logan Lake 2,875 3 958 89 93
Lumby 5,291 5 1,058 95 90
Lytton 2,279 4 570 64 113 Spences Bridge
Mackenzie[Α] 240 2 120 47 388 Rural areas around Mackenzie, McLeod Lake
Masset 2,427 7 347 86 248 Port Clements, Juskatla
McBride 2,257 3 752 66 88 Dunster
Merritt[Α] 3,901 4 975 89 91 Rural areas around Merritt
Mission[Α] 5,052 5 1,010 127 125 Rural areas around Mission, Deroche
Nakusp 3,956 4 989 64 65
Nanaimo[Α] 14,223 6 2,371 164 69 Rural areas around Nanaimo, Cedar, Lantzville, Nanoose Bay
Nelson[Α] 11,314 8 1,414 61 43 Rural areas around Nelson, Winlaw
New Denver/Slocan Lake 3,248 3 1,083 46 42
New Hazelton 6,475 10 648 111 172 Hazelton, Kispiox
Nootka Sound 2,380 5 476 58 121 Tahsis, Gold River
Oceanside 22,808 12 1,901 151 74 Parksville, Errington
One Hundred Mile House 13,945 13 1,073 82 76 108 Mile Ranch
Outer Gulf Islands 4,669 4 1,167 58 49 Pender Island, Galiano Island, Gabriola Island, Saturna Island, Mayne Island
Pemberton 4,240 7 606 41 67 Mount Currie
Penticton[Α] 11,892 6 1,982 134 67 Rural areas around Penticton, Naramata, Kaleden
Port Alberni[Α] 8,609 7 1,230 76 62 Rural areas around Port Alberni, Bamfield
Port Alice 1,172 2 586 43 73 Quatsino
Port Hardy 6,066 12 506 117 231 Holberg, Coal Harbour, Winter Harbour
Port McNeill 5,188 8 649 74 114 Zeballos, Woss, Telegraph Cove
Powell River 5,690 6 948 79 83 Lund
Prince George[Α] 14,544 7 2,078 85 41 Rural areas around Prince George, Bear Lake
Prince Rupert[Α] 2,222 4 556 72 130 Rural areas around Prince Rupert, Port Edward, Port Essington, Hartley Bay
Princeton 5,278 7 754 93 123 Hedley, Coalmont
Quadra Island 3,845 4 961 72 75 Stuart Island
Queen Charlotte City 2,841 5 568 78 137 Sandspit
Quesnel[Α] 15,096 9 1,677 96 57 Rural areas around Quesnel
Revelstoke[Α] 752 2 376 48 128 Rural areas around Revelstoke, Mica Creek
Salmo 2,573 4 643 75 116
Salmon Arm[Α] 7,967 5 1,593 96 60 Rural areas around Salmon Arm
Saltspring Island 10,322 7 1,475 92 62 Ganges
Sayward 912 3 304 35 116
Shawnigan Lake 16,725 11 1,520 75 49 Malahat, Cobble Hill
Sicamous 4,662 6 777 112 144
Sidney[Α] 3,141 3 1,047 79 76 Rural areas around Sidney and North Saanich
Smithers[Α] 8,466 6 1,411 91 83 Rural areas around Smithers, Telkwa, Moricetown, Fort Babine
Sooke[Α] 4,365 4 1,091 91 83 Rural areas around Sooke, Port Renfrew, River Jordan
South Okanagan 21,607 21 1,029 118 114 Osoyoos, Oliver, Keremeos, Cawston
Squamish[Α] 2,132 5 426 39 92 Rural areas around Squamish, Lions Bay, Britannia Beach, Brackendale
Stl'atl'imx 2,835 10 284 62 174 First Nations Administered Police Services
Stewart 783 3 261 18 68
Sunshine Coast 19,689 20 984 81 82 Gibsons
Surrey[Α] 715 1 715 74 103 Rural areas around Surrey, Barnston Island
T’Kumlups 7,012 8 877 89 102 First Nations Detachment (Kamloops)
Takla Landing 210 1 210 109 519 Takla Lake First Nation
Terrace[Α] 8,506 7 1,215 102 84 Rural areas around Terrace
Texada Island 1,213 1 1,213 54 45
Tofino 2,892 6 482 107 221 Clayoquot, Ahousaht
Trail[Α] 11,561 10 1,156 55 47 Rural areas around Trail, Fruitvale, Rossland, Montrose
Tsay Keh Dene 464 2 232 119 513 Fort Ware
Tumbler Ridge 2,526 5 505 69 137
Ucluelet 2,503 4 626 86 138
University Endowment Lands 8,574 17 504 81 160
Valemount 1,958 4 490 52 106 Tête Jaune Cache
Vanderhoof 8,955 9 995 91 92
Vernon[Α] 11,678 8 1,460 95 65 Rural areas around Vernon
Wells 444 3 148 11 77
West Shore 9,746 5 1,949 117 60 Metchosin, Highlands
Whistler[Α] 315 2 158 14 86 Rural areas around Whistler
Williams Lake[Α] 15,206 10 1,521 40 40 Rural areas around Williams Lake, Horsefly, Likely
Average 953 91 95 Excluding First Nations Administered Police Services

Notes

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  1. ^ Police Services Division, 39-55.
  2. ^ Police Services Division, 57-65.
  3. ^ Police Services Division, 77-81.
  4. ^ Police Services Division, 67-76.
  5. ^ a b Police Services Division, 30.
  6. ^ a b Police Services Division, 34-35.
  7. ^ Police Services Division, 13.
  8. ^ Police Services Division, 33.
  9. ^ Police Services Division, 90-91.
  10. ^ Police Services Division, 103.
  11. ^ RCMP (2004).
  12. ^ Police Services Division, 101-103.

Α This RCMP detachment operated from the municipality but provided police services to the rural areas and other communities, not the municipality it operated from. A separate municipal RCMP detachment covered the municipality and its statistics were kept separate (shown above).

References

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  • "Police and Crime Summary Statistics, 1996 - 2005" (pdf). British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Police Services Division. 2006. ISSN 1198-9971. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  • "British Columbia Aboriginal Policing". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 2004-04-09. Archived from the original on 2007-05-28. Retrieved 2007-08-09.