Members of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) responded to 1,015 calls for service and other infractions in May, according to the monthly numbers released at the June 17 meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners.
The number of calls is a big jump form the 652 calls for service in May 2020.
In the first five months of this year, the EPS handled 3,812 calls and infractions, a 14.2 per cent increase from the first five months of 2020.
The EPS received reports of nine crimes against the person in May, with six assaults, two sexual crimes and one assault causing bodily harm. So far this year, members have had 48 crimes against the person, with 33 assaults, 13 sexual crimes and two assaults causing bodily harm.
Acting Police Chief Warren Morrical noted that one of the sexual crimes from May was a historical sexual assault that is under investigation by the criminal investigations division.
There were 24 crimes against property last month, with 14 thefts under $5,000, nine mischief or willful damage complaints and one theft of a motor vehicle.
The EPS has had 94 crime against property calls this year, led by 40 thefts under $5,000 and 40 mischief/willful damage calls.
Police handled three charges under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA), with three for possession and one for trafficking. The trafficking charge was for methamphetamine and other substances that Morrical said stemmed from a conditions check.
So far this year, members have had 20 CDSA calls, with 14 for possession, five for trafficking and one for production.
The EPS had 14 Criminal Code traffic violations in May, with 10 for impaired or exceed related offences and four for impairment by drug. In the first five months of the year, there were 51 charges: 30 for impaired or exceed related offences, 14 impaired by drug and seven for dangerous driving and other.
Morrical noted that there has been an increase in impairment by drug charges, but he believes that is due to having more officers being able to identify such impairment.
Also at the meeting, the monthly report from Special Const. Morgan Prentice, the city’s bylaw enforcement officer, showed that there were 116 occurrences in May. Included in that total were 37 unkempt property inspections, 29 parking violations, 15 animal calls, 11 animal impounds and 10 cat traps.
“A good majority of her time last month has been spent on unkempt property inspections,” said Morrical. “Of course, that’s taken up a fair amount of her time, because she does have a detailed inspection.”
So far this year, she has had 601 infractions, including 202 for unkempt property inspections, 147 for parking violations and 81 animal calls.
