According to Statistics Canada, last year, Kamloops had the highest crime rates in Canada for communities with at least 100,000 people. This statistic is majorly alarming for locals, tourists, and people looking to move here. Understanding what the Kamloops police and community are doing to combat this issue will help to build better trust and cohesion between the police force and locals. Highlighting useful resources and safety precautions that community members can employ to protect themselves and their property is an important first step to tackling this greater issue.
(RCMP responding to an incident, Photo by Michael Friesen)
Statistics Canada states that Kamloops crime rates are 115% higher than the national average, and violent crimes are 61% higher. While violent crime rates are alarmingly high, Statistics Canada states the most common form of crime in Kamloops is property-related. This means damage, theft, or vandalism to personally owned property like housing and vehicles.
The city and RCMP have stated their opinions on the matter, Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said, “The figures for the city are not surprising, but I’m concerned that they are going to scare people off.” A common argument against the high crime statistics from notable city officials and RCMP members is that the numbers can look large due to the small size of Kamloops compared to most other cities on the Statistics Canada list. Bryan Kinney, a criminology professor at Simon Fraser University states the high rates “shouldn’t be a cause for alarm.” And that “as communities — like Kamloops — approach the 100,000 population mark, they start to see more “big city” activities, such as more business investments, as well as more crimes.”
Although these arguments are important to consider when analyzing the crime issues in Kamloops, they don’t dismiss the alarming statistics that have been published on the matter. An important thing to consider when examining Kamloops’s crime statistics is incidences that were not filed with the police or the city. As crime becomes more common, community members may feel helpless or feel as if filing a report is useless. The crime statistics only account for reports that have been filled. This large discrepancy may mean that the issue is larger than expected.
Although the matter can seem concerning, preventative measures are in place. The Kamloops Crime Prevention unit sanctioned by the city aims to educate and spread awareness on the topic. They have various volunteer programs throughout the city aimed at preventing crime. The city website highlights The North Shore Community Policing Office, where they “deliver crime prevention and community safety programs for the entire community, which provides an important link between the city’s police force and the community. In addition to general policing, this station houses the Kamloops RCMP’s Auxiliary Constable Program and the Crime Prevention Section, which operates the Restorative Justice, Crime Watch, and Speed Watch programs, among others.” Programs like this are fundamental steps that the city and community must take in order to combat the high crime rates in the city. These initiatives build relationships between city members, RCMP officers, and the community, and will foster collaboration and effectively spread awareness.
In an interview, the Kamloops Crime Prevention Coordinator stated “Our RCMP does a great job managing crime, a community based preventative measure that is highly effective is the Crime Prevention Request page on our website.” Using this feature, community members can file a request for crime prevention by stating a location or business that they think needs more help or attention, the city will then look at these requests and working with the RCMP they may dedicate more resources to that location. Using this feature gives the community a voice on the matter, it allows collaboration which in turn, creates a safer environment altogether.
(Homeless individuals sleeping in -2°, Photo by Michael Friesen)
Another important variable to consider when looking at crime in Kamloops is the issue of homelessness. The City of Kamloops states that “over the past nine years, Kamloops has seen an over 200% increase in the number of unhoused individuals identified in Point-In-Time Counts.” It’s apparent that the issue has become a serious consideration. The city also stated that “on April 12, 2023, the shelter was at 95% occupancy.”
This puts the issue into perspective. While homeless rates may not have a direct correlation with crime rates in the city understanding the effects homelessness can have on them is important. Drug-related issues are common among the homeless, and with the high homeless rates that are present in Kamloops, there will inevitably be drug-related charges that come with the high population.
An effective form of crime prevention that is used by the city and businesses is security. Security can help deter and protect property during late and vulnerable hours of the day. This measure is essential to combating crime in the city. The police force does not have enough resources to protect every business and location at any given time, this is where security provides its high value.
Ryan Anderson the Director of Operations at Paladin Security in Kamloops states “We provide protection and reassurance to select businesses around the city, our most effective form of crime prevention is patrolling and stationing.:” When individuals and business owners opt to utilize security, they are purchasing reassurance. In almost every case, the presence of a security officer is enough to deter would-be crime.
This is just one of the ways in which the community, city members, RCMP, and business owners can collaborate to tackle the issue of crime in the city. As long as the city continues to dedicate resources towards crime prevention and homelessness and continues to foster initiatives the community can take part in through volunteering, the city will begin to feel safer and more united.