Local businesses, RCMP say crime is down, but what’s behind drop?

According to recently released RCMP stats (reported in last week’s Fitzhugh) and reports from local businesses, crime in Jasper has dropped off over at least the beginning of this summer when compared to last year and years before. There have been fewer mischiefs, fewer alcohol related incidents, fewer thefts and, in general, it seems fewer crimes (although there have been more drug and traffic related charges, due to the Jasper RCMP’s increased focus on these issues). In short, the crimes associated with the so-called Patricia Street problem, a catch-all term that refers to  the general chaos on the main streets of Jasper late at night, seem to be dropping off.

So, what’s behind the drop in criminal behaviour that was so bad it had become a fixed talking point in local newspapers, at town council sessions and in the coffee shop discussions around town?

Jasper RCMP Sgt. David Maludzinski said he believes that part of the reason crime is down has to do with actions taken by the police. He said the RCMP has taken greater steps to making its presence known on the Patricia Street corridor. Officers are doing more foot patrols and just generally making it known that they are watching the area.

“That’s the idea, if people see us out there more, they might think twice about doing something,” said Sgt. Maludzinski.

There could be other reasons for the drop however.

Camping statistics from Jasper National Park show an overall drop in the amount of campers visiting the park. In May 2010, there were 7,184 campers, compared to 2009, when 7220 camped. In June 2010, 19,290 campers visited and in June 2009, 19,946 campers stayed. July 2010 there were 69,877 compared to July 2009’s 71,860. Overall, camping stats are down about 2.2 per cent this year from last.

“I wouldn’t say it’s appropriate to say ‘visitation to Jasper is down’ based on these numbers,” said Thea Mitchell, a spokesperson for Jasper National Park. She said the closing of some of the campsites in the larger campgrounds due to upgrades probably explains why the numbers show a decrease.

Still, there are fewer people visiting the park this year and that may explain the drop in crime.

Other possible reasons abound, however.

Michael Quick is the owner of Glass Onion Research and Consulting, a company hired by the town to help handle youth issues and loutish behaviour around town. He and his team have been gathering information from youth in town by asking questions like: How often do you vandalize property in Jasper? How often do you expect people your age to do vandalism? How often do you drink? They found that the majority of people in the survey don’t drink to excess often and do not commit vandalism.

“Most are making good, healthy decisions, that’s the norm,” said Quick.

But he admits that while the majority of issues associated with the Patricia Street problem are probably being conducted by youths, that’s only because there are so many youths in Jasper. He said his work was about trying to convince the final 10 per cent who misbehave to change their behaviour.

Toward this goal, his group has launched a marketing campaign to reinforce the notion that most young people in Jasper are not boorish, drunken property destroyers. Instead, most young people in Jasper like to get outside, like to keep active and often do something creative with their free time. The ad reinforces this reality and will hopefully change perceptions and then behaviour around town.

“People might think ‘Well, my friends don’t do this kinda stuff and no else does, so maybe I shouldn’t,” said Quick.

One of the messages is a picture of a shirtless, tattooed man in a luchadore (Mexican wrestling mask) hula hooping. A message below talks about how active youth in Jasper are. The idea behind it is that a lot of activities, even weird ones, can be called ‘keeping active.’ It doesn’t have to be mountain biking or marathon running.

Quick said that his team started the work about two years ago and while it’s still too early to talk conclusively about its effect, he said that he knows through surveys that people are seeing the ads and are thinking about them.

Other new programs may have also influenced behaviour, including everything from taking Jasper’s young adults out canoeing to three on three basketball tournaments. The goal is to convince young people to spend less time in the bars and more outside.

Whatever the causes for the drop, numerous sources have noticed a lack of criminal activity along Patricia Street at night.

Doug Rodwell, Licensing and Enforcement Manager for the Town of Jasper, said that as far as he could tell, vandalism and crime on Patricia Street and in Jasper in general seem like they’re down.

“If you get the mirror on the side of your truck smashed, then you’re not gonna care and you’re gonna say ‘Doug, you’re an idiot,’ but on the whole, it’s better,” said Rodwell.

There’s also still crime, mischief and vandalism happening out there though, he said. Someone dumped a whole box full of styrofoam packaging peanuts in an alley downtown behind Patricia Street recently. Stop signs are still being stolen from streets around town occasionally, a particularly dire and stupid form of vandalism, Rodwell said.

“You can’t ever stop it completely, no, but you know, it’s not as bad,” he said.

Businesses on Patricia St. are also describing this summer as relatively crime and nuisance free when compared to other Jasper summers.

Leanne Ewald, manager at the Rexall Drugstore on Patricia St. said that in years past, they’ve had more problems; every summer, there were a couple of broken windows on the front of the store and then some thefts, along with other more random wrongdoings.

This year, there’s only been the one broken window and one incident where someone broke in and tried to rip off the locked awnings that surround the pharmacy, presumably so they could get at the drugs inside. Aside from that, no trouble, Ewald said.

“It’s been a pretty good summer,” said Ewald. “Maybe because tourism is down or something, I don’t know, but things are better.”

Heff Doiron, one of the owners of the Jasper Wine Merchants on Patricia St., the store that is open latest on the street (1 a.m. on the weekends) said the store doesn’t really have a problem with robberies or broken windows. They had someone try to walk in the backdoor once and grab some booze before running off, but mostly, they have to deal with drunken patrons coming into the store to cause ruckus.

That’s not happening as much this year, said Doiron.

“We don’t keep stats or anything, but yeah, it seems like it’s down,” said Doiron. He said they still get people coming into the store from the bars or wherever, drunk and causing problems occasionally, but it’s certainly been quieter working this summer.