Serious crime investigations, and combatting property crime increase top Kamloops RCMP priority list

Serious, violent crimes had officers with the Serious Crimes Unit working full speed ahead right from the start of the year — while still investigating a gang-related homicide from the fall of 2018.

“January rolled in, and of course, I don’t have to tell you that three more homicides came in quickly. Including a multi-jurisdictional kidnapping that was right in the middle of all of that,” Lecky recalls. “Our units here worked at or beyond capacity for all of 2019. ”

Police arrested people involved in the shooting death of Jason Glover in February 2019, and are still investigating the targeted murder of Cody Mathieu, and the mistaken identity killing of Rex Gill — both in January 2019.

“I can tell you Mr. Gill is an innocent party. From what we can see, wrong place, wrong time. I can assure you that this is our priority now,” says Lecky. “We have turned our efforts into making a priority out of those investigations.”

A prevalent theme in 2019 for many cities across the province and country was an increase in property crimes. For example, Lecky says Kamloops averages about 50 vehicle break-in reports a week.

“We can have eight, or seven stolen vehicles we’re averaging right now, which is really high. But we are also no different than anywhere else,” Lecky says. “So what we’re seeing, while our other stats might be going down a bit, the property crime has been on the increase.”

A few of the methods RCMP have used to combat property crimes include the recent online crime reporting tool, the Lock-out Auto Crime campaign, citizens on patrol, releasing a theft from vehicles map, and the BAIT car and BAIT bike program.

2019 also marked three years in a row where Kamloops police officers have been shot at while responding to an incident. Lecky says the violence against officers is ‘disturbing’.

“As with the rest of the province, and indeed the country, we have seen the landscape of policing change in Kamloops over the past year,” he says. “Daily, the members of our detachment deal with an ever-increasing number of calls for service that include mental health issues, drugs, and often times weapons. All of which has had a significant impact on our members and staff.”

More officers were added last year, and with the severity and complexity of investigations, Lecky says the detachment may request more resources in the future.

After members respond to violent incidents, stress levels can run high, and time off is often needed to physically and mentally recuperate. However that means fewer officers on duty at a time, and Lecky says that only adds to regular time off requirements from daily life situations or illnesses.

“If you ask me what my biggest concerns are? Serious crime,” Lecky says. “Right now our serious crime investigators are tapped out. And if I have the resources, a lot of that is connected to the drug world, so our Targeted Enforcement Unit is where our other concerns are. Because if you can catch the bad guys, and keep them contained before they get to the homicides, and then kidnappings and whatever else that comes with that.”

by Dylana Kneeshaw

Serious crime investigations, and combatting property crime increase top Kamloops RCMP priority list

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