MD Peace Officers were handing out fewer tickets in 2016.
Peace Officers handled 4,636 incidents in 2016, down from 5,028 in 2015 and 2014, with the number of tickets written down as well. What is up though is warnings.
“We did have a discussion with all the staff to explain about the economic situation here and things like that,” Public Safety Director Chris Garner told MD council while presenting the department’s annual report. “I know the guys were taking that into account when they were deciding how to deal with violations. The word was ‘compassion’ and thinking about the economic situation that some people might be in.”
Ward 1 continued to be the busiest ward for Peace Officers in 2016 with a total of 1,718 incidents, while Ward 6 had the least number of incidents at 315. Peace Officers conducted 338 Commercial Truck Inspections in 2016. It was a busy year for the School Resource Officers as well, with 334 visits (including drop – ins and programs) for schools in the Lakeland Catholic School District, 557 visits for schools in the Northern Lights School Division and 56 for schools under the Conseil scolaire Centre – Est. The report will be posted on the M.D.’s website after it has been submitted to the Solicitor General’s Office.