OPP Inspector Scott Smith continued making his rounds of Wellington County municipal councils here on April 4, and brought the same good News he has to other places.
Smith told Guelph-Eramosa council police calls in Eramosa last year were slightly higher than the three year average for that part of the municipality, while they decreased slightly in the Guelph section.
He was pleased to report that violent crimes such as assaults were down slightly in the county, and were stable in those two places. Eramosa has a three year average of 13, and had 15 in 2010, while Guelph had five in each category.
Sexual assaults in Eramosa were four last year, with a three year average of four. In Guelph there were two last year, and the three year average is three.
There were 174 property crimes in Eramosa in 2010 compared to a three-year average of 188, and 101 in Guelph township, compared to the average of 97.
One area of concern for Smith is domestic violence, and he noted there were 27 calls last year in Eramosa compared to a three-year average of 25. In Guelph, there were 11, compared to an average of seven.
Smith attributed that partly to the economy. He cited a lengthy debate council had just held about spending $3,000 for an In Motion program, and said “I understand why households fight over finances.”
But, he added “You guys are in really good shape as far as crime is concerned. There have been no robberies in Eramosa for three years, and only one in Guelph township in that same period.
Impaired driving in the municipality is down. In Eramosa last year it went to 11 charges from an average of 14, and dropped to eight from the 10 per year in the three year average in Guelph.
Smith said that might not be a good sign. “It’s good if [drinking and driving] is down. It’s bad if we’re missing them.”
Smith said there were only seven fatal accidents in Wellington County last year, “by far the best year we’ve ever had.”
He added there are “no significant pockets” of crime in Guelph-Eramosa. “There are more traffic complaints than crime complaints.”
Smith also explained to council there are three things needed for a crime to occur: a suitable place, a suitable victim or target, and a motivated offender.
He said when those three come together, “you have a crime. If you remove one or two … ”
He said, though, that citizens can help police. “We can’t be everywhere.”
Smith noted that he is hoping to establish community oriented policing committee in all the areas of Wellington County, and he hopes for one in Rockwood.
He said citizen can help by locking their vehicles and garages, keeping their properties well lit. He said it used to be said that young women should not walk alone at night, but now nobody should be walking alone at night.
Smith said he is also interested in the roots of crime, and how society addresses young offenders’ problems. He said such things as poverty, poor parenting, and impaired social development can all lead to wasted young lives. He noted police have arrested one 15-year-old boy twice in two weeks for stealing food, and he concluded the boy is not necessarily a thief.
“He’s hungry.”
Smith said most children need inside running shoes and outside running shoes for school, and that some parents can barely afford one pair. He said it costs money to go for medical treatment in Guelph, another expense for a poor family.
“We’re trying to engage more social agencies,” to provide help, Smith said, “so they’re not committing crimes in the first place.”
He noted young people who go to jail usually come out worse than when they went in. He also added that youth, particularly those involved in alcohol and drugs, are a problem, but he said it is noticed by police that when such people reach age 26 they generally stop getting into trouble and get on with their lives.
Councillor Doug Breen noted that Smith had said the Wellington County is the second safest municipality in Canada, and asked who is number one.
Smith said it is neighbouring Caledon.
Breen said, “Having that [OPP] detachment in Rockwood has made a huge difference in the way people feel. They see more cruisers on the road.”
Mayor Chris White said Smith’s report is a good one.
Parks and Recreation Director Robin Milne said the township parks suffer minor vandalism regularly, and staff often do not report it because it would take up police time. “Is there an interest? Do you want statistics on vandalism and estimated costs?
Smith said property crime is under reported, and people have the attitude “Why bother?”
He said police have started to map offences such as those, and can target areas for extra patrols is they see problems developing.
“We can’t react to what we don’t know,” Smith said. He said police might not solve crimes that are reported, but they might make arrests for others in the future, or prevent them.
“The calls are important to us.”
He said one staff member takes calls for where police are not needed on the scene, and they are then on record.
He also pointed out the annual police auction has lots of goods for sale that police have recovered but they were unable to find the owners. If there had been calls, they might have been able to return some stolen goods.
