The New Westminster Police Department has released its first-ever quarterly report, something the department’s acting top cop is anticipating to be a regular publication moving forward.
The first quarterly report actually only reports on two months – July and August – and it offers a bit of data on the department’s activities in that time.
That includes the number of dispatched calls, compared with the same time year-over-year. The department distinguishes different calls into four categories based on priorities, and according to the report all four categories were down in July-August 2019 compared to the same time in 2018.
Priority one calls dropped slightly from 380 in 2018 to 373 in 2019, the smallest change among all categories. In the same time, priority three calls dropped from 1,851 in 2018 to 1,577 in 2019.
The report does not elaborate on what types of calls would fall into each category, and the department did not respond to a question on that topic in time for publication.
Total calls for the period dropped from 3,775 in 2018 to 3,389 in 2019, according to the report.
The top five call types in July-Aug. 2019 were: Assist general public (325 calls), theft (235), property (212), disturbance (205) and suspicious circumstances (186). In the same time last year, the top five calls were: Assist general public (332), theft (326), suspicious circumstances (261), false alarm (244) and unwanted person (220).
The report also offered a glimpse into the department’s various units, from crime reduction and patrol to traffic and marine, as well as a look at some of the events the NWPD participated in.
Among the highlights, the report points to “a wide range of new and active investigations” conducted by its criminal investigation section, including a July alleged attempted murder in the 400-block of 9th Street that is currently before courts.
It also notes the work of the street crime unit’s “continued … efforts to combat the fentanyl and opioid crisis.” It notes the most recent project that ended with two arrests in May and the seizure of drugs, money and crime-related property. That matter is expected to be forwarded to federal prosecutors in the near future.
The report also noted some of the community events the department took part in, including the farmer’s markets, Uptown Live, the StrEAT Truck Festival and the Pride street festival.
