Jasper’s crime rate has seen little change during the past five years, according to an RCMP report delivered to council.

Jasper town council took the time to look at the latest Jasper RCMP winter crime statistics at their May 18 general meeting.

The stats provide a window into criminal activity in Jasper over the middle to late winter months (January 1 - March 31), a time when, typically, the town is not as busy for the police.

By and large, there are no significant changes in crime in Jasper over these months. Crime in and around town appears to be taking a ‘steady as she goes’ path. Theft under $5,000 is around norm for the past five years. So are thefts over $5,000, break and enters, cases of mischief, assaults and robberies.

“It’s on par with the way that it’s been going for the past five years,” said Jasper RCMP Sgt. Maludzinski, who presented the data to council.

“It’s good to see that we’re not all over the place,” said Mayor Richard Ireland.

Still, the data does provide some interesting insights into law enforcement in Jasper.

Perhaps most significantly in the stats, the amount of drug enforcement investigations in the area appear to be rising.

In 2010, there were more than 16 federal investigations in Jasper involving drug enforcement. This number is more than double the amount of drug investigations that happened in Jasper over the same time period in the each of the last three years, but is still not as high as in 2006, when there were 18 investigations. Still, it appears that the police are making more drug busts in town than in recent years.

Sgt. Maludzinski said this is because his officers are now better trained to handle drug investigations.

“The cadets are getting a lot better at doing this type of work,” said the sergeant. He said that the detachment has had a larger than normal amount of new recruits in recent years. Those cadets appear to be getting more effective at their trade.

“They’re doing a lot better now,” said Sgt. Maludzinski.

The amount of impaired driving criminal traffic investigations in the area appears to be dropping significantly. In 2006, there were 31 investigations, while in 2010, the numbers had dropped to 8. Over the years in between, the numbers also show a drop every year.

Sgt. Maludzinski told council that he was not sure what was behind the drop in numbers.

“It could be two things,” he said. “Impaireds could be down or our own enforcement could be down.”

Councillor Rico Damota, who manages the De’d Dog Bar in Jasper, said that in the time he has been in Jasper, he’s noticed a dramatic drop in level of acceptance for drunk driving.

“Young people now, it seems like maybe the message has gotten through to them,” Coun. Damota said.

Sgt. Maludzinksi also told council that the proposed shift of the RCMP traffic unit based in Jasper to Hinton has not yet occurred.

“It looks like they might not stay, but they’re still here,” he said.

He told council that even if the traffic unit shifted from it’s base here to Hinton, the officers would still be on the highways near Jasper frequently.

“It’s the pipeline of drugs,” said Sgt. Maludzinski, referring to Highway 16. “There’s only one way through the mountains up here.”

He said that the traffic patrols typically like to stop suspicious vehicles near Jasper because the two lanes create a choke point that makes traffic stops easier. Once the lanes open up to four closer to Hinton, it becomes trickier for the traffic cops to make stops.

Sgt. Maludzinski also put forward an ultimatum to council. He told them after his many years of service in Jasper, it may be be time for him to leave. So, he asked council: should he go or leave?

An answer was not immediately forthcoming, with the Mayor stating that the issues would be discussed with members who serve on the towns community safety boards.

“It’s been a good place. I don’t really wanna go,” said Sgt. Maludzinski. “I need you to help me decide where I should go,” he told council.

Sgt. Maludzinski, who has worked in Jasper for several years and has raised a family here, explained that he should only be allowed to serve in the community as long as the community wants him here. If the people, through representation in places like Jasper Town Council, decide they want some fresh blood, then he should leave.