Policing in Mission will garner attention at a public forum next week at the Boswyk Seniors Activity Centre.
The Mission RCMP Policing Forum will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Feb. 8 and feature an update from Mission’s officer in charge Ted Lewko.
Lewko will update the audience on crime trends in Mission, initiatives to enhance service and coordination with community partners, and review the detachment’s current strategic priorities.
The audience will have an opportunity to voice concerns and ask questions at the end of the presentation. There will also be an opportunity to meet with police officers and Mission detachment staff.
Lewko last provided an update on crime trends to the city council in November, providing statistics from July 1 to Sep. 30 of 2022, with 4,237 total crimes reported in Mission during that period.
READ MORE: Mission proposes $99 million budget for 2023
With three months of reports remaining for 2022, violent crime already rose 18 per cent from 2021 with 788 violent crimes filed compared to 661 last year. Arson and robbery saw the largest increases from 2021 after nine months, at 157 per cent and 141 per cent respectively.
Mission RCMP provided a separate report in November to closed council regarding public complaints about the RCMP, finances and investigations of a sensitive nature.
Policing expenses make up 16 per cent of the city’s proposed $99 million budget. Total expenses for police amount to $16,274,825 with $887,153 in revenue.
The RCMP contract takes up $12,568,975 of those expenses, while victim services costs $254,488 and community policing (including the Crime Prevention Office) takes up $159,393. Police operations including DNA analysis, office administration, prisoner expenses, and restorative solutions amount to $2,404,816.
@dillon_white
dillon.white@missioncityrecord.com
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