ESTEVAN — The Estevan Police Service saw an uptick in activity in April, but its overall call numbers are still below the 2024 levels.
The EPS had 634 calls for service in April, up from 558 for the same month last year, according to numbers released at the May 13 meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners. The agency has had 2,009 calls in the first four months of the year, down 8.3 per cent from the 2,191 they handled from Jan. 1-April 30, 2024, and well below the five-year average of 2,276.
In terms of the crime statistics, the EPS had nine crimes against the person, with eight assaults and one sexual crime, compared to 18 in April 2024. In the first four months of this year, there were 45 crimes against people, with 33 assaults, nine sexual crimes and three assaults causing bodily harm. Fifty-eight crimes against the person occurred in the first four months of 2024.
The EPS had 29 crimes against property in April, with 12 thefts under $5,000 and 11 mischief/willful damage complaints leading the way. There were also three residential break and enters, one business break and enter, one theft of a motor vehicle and a theft over $5,000.
Through April 30, the EPS had 119 crimes against property, with 71 thefts under $5,000, 29 mischief/willful damage calls, seven thefts of a motor vehicle, seven residential and one business break and enters, two arsons and two thefts over $5,000. In the first four months of 2024, there were 148 crimes against property.
Chief Jamie Blunden said the driver for the crimes against property remains thefts under $5,000. Blunden said with spring and summer here, it's important for people to secure their property and possessions. The EPS also has to worry about shoplifting.
There were no arrests under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act in both April 2025 and 2024. So far this year, there have been five infractions for trafficking. Last year there were nine for trafficking and six for possession through April 30.
Blunden noted the EPS shifted one individual from the Drug Intelligence Unit to the front lines, so it doesn't have as many active investigations. It might be a reason for a dip in trafficking and possession charges, Blunden said.
As for Criminal Code traffic violations, the EPS had seven impaired/exceed related offences, two for impairment by drug and two for dangerous driving and other for a total of 11, up three from eight in 2024. In the first four months of the year, the EPS had 31 violations, with 19 for impaired/exceed related offences, nine for impairment by drug and three for dangerous driving and other. There were 42 offences to start 2024.
Blunden said the EPS was in a really favourable spot when he compares this year's numbers to those for a year earlier.
He's not concerned with the increase in call volumes for April, as he said he prefers to look at the year-to-date numbers.
"It's … important because when we look at the five-year comparables, there's a couple of categories where we're still higher, but suffice to say, since last year and compared to this year, we are starting to trend down."
