Penticton city council is going to be hearing from the RCMP this week, with their first public report since Statistics Canada releases showed Penticton sitting in a high crime bracket.
Superintendent Ted De Jager is delivering his quarterly report on RCMP activities in the community at council’s regular Aug. 15 meeting.
In late July, reports released by Statistics Canada revealed that in 2016, Penticton had not only the highest overall crime rate but one of the highest Crime Severity Index ratings in the Okanagan Valley.
Related: Penticton crime rate highest in Valley
Other South Okanagan communities were below the provincial average of 7,738 incidents per 100,000 people, but Penticton was rated at 13,623 against the same standard. That’s higher the valley’s larger cities, Kelowna (10,126) and Vernon (12,668).
At the time, De Jager wouldn’t comment specifically on the statistics except to say that looking, in isolation, at any one of the measures they use to target enforcement and set priorities can be misleading.
De Jager also noted the crime type that affects the most people in Penticton is theft, leading to a perception that crime is rampant and the community is not safe.
De Jager will deliver his update to council during the committee of the whole portion of the meeting, which starts shortly after 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 15 in council chambers at City Hall.
Related: Mayor’s minute: Frustrations about crime heard and felt