File Photo (Image Credit: Merritt RCMP)

By Michael Reeve

MERRITT COP STATS

Merritt Mounties respond to 553 calls in June highlighted by arson at local hotel

Jul 12, 2025 | 1:30 PM

MERRITT — Merritt Mounties see decrease in calls in June, while maintaining an overall yearly increase. Merritt RCMP Detachment Commander S/Sgt. Josh Roda provided his monthly update to city council on Tuesday (July 8).

“Officers attended 553 calls for service in June, seeing a significant decrease compared to June 2024, which saw officers attending 620 calls for service,” wrote S/Sgt. Roda. “Officers have now attended 3118 calls for service in the first 6 months of 2025, compared to 3088 calls at this point in 2024.”

Staffing levels at the detachment have remained on-par at 15 officers throughout the first half of 2025. There is also an additional six members working on the provincial side of the detachment.

“In June 2025, the Merritt Detachment submitted 17 charge recommendations to the BC Prosecution Service. The BC Prosecution Services approved 20 new charges,” added Roda who noted a number of the charges are related to files forwarded in previous months.

The most notable file for the detachment was the structure fire at the Comfort Inn Hotel, which has been deemed as arson. That investigation remains active.

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“In the month of June, the officers seized another 7 firearms including a loaded shotgun found in a vehicle. This brings the total seized firearms to 76 in 2025,” said Roda.

The detachment responded to 22 mental health calls in June, where a subject was transported to hospital. There was six break and enters to businesses, and one to residential. Mounties dealt with 23 assaults, and 34 motor vehicle collisions in June.