The Campbell River RCMP is looking back at what was a very busy 2019.
There were 1,700 calls for service in 2019, which is up roughly 11 percent from the previous year.
When compared to the five year average, call volume jumped approximately seven percent.
Calls for service during the course of the year have had an extremely broad range:
RCMP members were involved in a helicopter crash investigation, murder investigation in Ocean Grove, fatal accident investigations on local highways, several high risk incidents involving guns, missing persons cases, as well as technical investigations into frauds and child pornography.
“All these major investigations require substantial police manpower and resources,” said Const. Maury Tyre, media relations officer with the Campbell River RCMP.
Near the beginning of the year, someone pointed a gun at a Campbell River RCMP off-duty officer.
“This man’s actions and the member’s dedication and bravery led to an extensive seizure of firearms from a private residence nearby,” Tyre said.
“The removal of firearms from someone who would demonstrate such dangerous behaviour assured that such incidents would not repeat themselves with another member of the public.”
On top of the major files, there are the smaller files that, Tyre said, “We realize are very big concerns for the people who come to us for assistance.”
They included assaults, domestic violence, thefts, mental health concerns, frauds, traffic complaints and many incidents where members will often act as mediators.
Tyre said a recent incident where one of our members was brutally attacked while conducting a traffic stop “is a too-close-for-comfort reminder of the dangers our police face on a daily basis.”
“It cannot go without acknowledging that two members of our community showed great care and courage in assisting that officer and we’d really like to thank them,” Tyre said.
Tyre said that in the new year, the local police looks forward to continuing to serve the community, with a priority being placed on proactive Crime Prevention initiatives.
“It is our hope that working with the community to prevent criminal activity will pay long term dividends and make Campbell River a less desirable location for those that wish to ply their criminal trade,” he added.
