Crime is down this year

OPP statistics show violent crime down 15 per cent

Crime is down this year in Trent Hills, according to a report to council by the Northumberland OPP detachment.

The Northumberland OPP’s police services board report for Trent Hills shows that in the first seven months of the year, ending July 31, total violent crime was down 15.4 per cent with 55 cases compared to 65 last year. The number of sexual assaults dropped from 15 to nine and other assaults declined to 25 from 32.

Property crimes were also down 17.7 per cent with declines in breaking and entering, theft, fraud, and mischief. Drug crimes were down 60 per cent, but the number is so small two cases down from five in 2023, that the percentage is skewed.

The numbers show that the OPP do much better at solving violent crimes, with 61.8 per cent cleared year to date, than property crimes, where only 19.8 per cent are cleared.

County-wide the number of fatal vehicle crashes for the year until July 31 was just one, down from three last year. The number of personal injuries was up six per cent to 66 from 62 and the number of property-damage collisions was up five per cent to 604 from 576.

As I have written, here and here, the governance approach to police services changed in April due to provincial legislation. There is now one board for all the municipalities in Northumberland that are served by the OPP, including Trent Hills. Councillor Rob Pope is our representative on that board, which is still hamstrung by insurance issues.

“We have had more OPP staff in our area,” Pope said in an interview after the Sept. 24 council meeting. “I think our needs are being heard by the inspector.”

During that meeting, council received a report on the placement of a speed radar recorder on Concession 11 West at Trentwood Estates Rd., west of CR 45. The machine tracks speeds but does not issue tickets or capture vehicle information.

The report recorded data from Sept. 3 to 11.  It showed that 50 per cent of the 2,153 vehicles that passed by – 1,087 – were doing more than 10 km/h over the 50 km/h limit.  The fastest driver was going 127 km/h.

Councillor Rick English noted the high speeds and asked whether this information was passed on to the OPP so it could enforce the limit.

Pope said these reports and more information from the radars is presented to the OPP through the OPP board.

“The 127 in a 50 is upsetting to see,” said Councillor Dennis Savery. “There have been ongoing complaints from people in that area about the speeding since I joined council. The residents will be happy to see increased enforcement.”