SWIFT CURRENT — Swift Current RCMP Staff Sgt. Evan Gordon presented the detachment's first-quarter policing report for the 2026-27 fiscal year during Monday's city council meeting, highlighting a continued decline in property crime despite an increase in crimes against people.
The report covered policing statistics from April through June 2026.
Gordon said crimes against people have increased slightly compared with the same period in 2025, although current figures remain similar to those recorded two years ago.
"There are a few areas of note based on what we've spoken about in the past. Crimes against persons this year seem to be on the rise compared to this time last year," Gordon said. "They're up slightly, but compared to two years ago, they're fairly similar."
At the same time, property crime continues to trend downward.
"Property crimes continue to be down compared to this time last year, as well as 2024-25," he said. "That includes offences such as theft under $5,000, theft over $5,000, and the three categories of break and enter involving businesses, residences and other locations such as sheds and unoccupied buildings."
Gordon said the release of the 2025 Crime Severity Index in July showed encouraging results for Swift Current.
"What we saw was an overall 5.2 per cent reduction in crime in Swift Current for the calendar year of 2025," he said. "Our number is 103, while the provincial average was 147, so we are well under the provincial average."
He explained that the Crime Severity Index assigns different weights to offences based on their seriousness, providing a broader picture of crime trends than simple offence counts.
The reduction was driven largely by declines in break-ins, robberies and serious assaults. However, Swift Current's violent crime severity increased by 21 per cent in 2025.
"The big driving factor behind that was a single homicide that occurred in the city in August 2025," Gordon said.
Despite the increase, Swift Current remained well below the provincial average for violent crime severity.
"We are at 117, whereas the provincial average is 194. In 2024, we were at 97."
Police also recorded increases in several other categories, including computer luring, harassment complaints, sexual assaults and minor assaults.
Gordon said a 14 per cent reduction in non-violent crime contributed significantly to the city's overall decline in crime severity.
"Again, we are well under the provincial average. The provincial number was 128 and we were at 98," he said.
Police saw decreases in offences such as mischief and fraud, while a 42 per cent drop in break-ins had a major impact on the overall reduction.
The detachment also recorded a 31 per cent increase in administration of justice offences, including breaches of court-ordered conditions.
"Even though we saw a 31 per cent increase in breaches, those are people who, because of curfew checks or condition checks, we were able to impose additional charges on and, quite often, got their bail conditions revoked," Gordon said.
"I would trade breaches for break-and-enters any day of the year."
Gordon also highlighted traffic safety concerns, noting a significant increase in reportable motor vehicle collisions during the quarter.
"Reportable collisions were definitely up this quarter and they are up from previous years," he said. "Almost half of those involve intersection infractions."
The increase has prompted additional attention from police.
"When I see our numbers go up compared to previous years, it starts to make me notice," Gordon said.
He noted that collisions can have wide-ranging impacts, including property damage, injuries and increased insurance costs.
Since the beginning of 2026, RCMP officers have issued 81 tickets and 123 warnings related to intersection offences.
"This is really the opportunity to get the word out," Gordon said.
People should expect enforcement to continue.
"If you are driving and you fail to stop at a stop sign or fail to stop properly for a red light, you will more likely than not receive a ticket for it."
He emphasized that traffic enforcement is focused on public safety rather than generating revenue.
"It is not about lining the pocketbooks of the city, the province or anywhere like that. It is about roadway safety."
Gordon also provided an update on policing efforts during Frontier Days, describing the annual event as relatively uneventful from a law enforcement perspective.
"Overall, it was a fairly average and uneventful event," he said.
RCMP responded to 55 calls for service during Frontier Days, compared with 52 calls during the previous year's event.
There were no reported assaults or significant disturbances on the fairgrounds.
"The planning committee does a great job of organizing the event and bringing in security," Gordon said. "The licensed establishments have really become less of an issue for us than they could be, so thank you."
During Frontier Days, the RCMP partnered with Saskatchewan Highway Patrol officers on enhanced traffic enforcement initiatives.
Three impaired drivers were removed from the road, which Gordon said was fewer than in previous years but not because of a lack of police presence. Officers also issued five roadside suspensions.
Gordon also corrected information provided during his previous presentation regarding drug overdoses.
"There was one, not zero, drug overdose during that quarter," he said.
The current quarter saw five illicit drug overdoses, none of which were fatal.
"Three of those five occurred at the same location among a group of people who were using illicit substances together. Luckily, none of the five were fatal."
In May, a search warrant led to charges of methamphetamine trafficking and weapons offences. Gordon said the accused man later failed to comply with his bail conditions and had his release revoked.
Traffic enforcement remained a key focus throughout the quarter. Gordon reported that 34 of the 81 intersection-related tickets issued this year were handed out during the most recent quarter.
Police also charged 14 drivers with impaired driving offences and issued four roadside suspensions. In addition, 26 drivers were charged with cellphone-related offences, while nine warnings were issued.
