Sgt. Laurie Jalbert reported the latest crime statistics to Cranbrook City Council Monday night, with an emphasis on the detachment's traffic law enforcement.

RCMP handed out 573 traffic tickets from January to the end of September 2010, which is an increase of 42 per cent over the same period in 2009. Also issued were 1,434 written warnings, an increase of 225 per cent over last year.

Twenty-four people were charged with impaired driving offences in the third quarter (July-September), compared to 14 in the same period last year. Year to date that means 77 people have been charged with impaired driving compared to 49 last year. In the third quarter 41 24-hour suspensions were issued, up from the 30 given last year. The year's total for 24-hour suspensions is 132 compared to 120 in 2009.

Positive results of the false alarm bylaw also continue to be seen. So far this year there have been 265 false alarms, which is a 64.2 per cent reduction from the 740 false alarm calls received in 2008.

From July 1 to Sept. 30 the Cranbrook RCMP received 2,551 calls for service compared to 2,718 in 2009 and housed 884 prisoners compared to 930 last year.

Person offences (assault, sexual assault, assault with a weapon, robbery etc.) were up 18.3 per cent to 182 in the third quarter compared to 153 offences in the same period of 2009. Criminal Code offences (cause a disturbance, public mischief, breach/bail violations etc.) totalled 195 in the third quarter, which was a 14.3 per cent increase from 2009. Enforcement of the detachment's new Chronic Offenders Strategy resulted in 30 charges from July to September.

Members of Citizens on Patrol put in 127 hours in the third quarter and are currently seeking donations for a new laptop computer.

Auxiliary Constables provided policing presence at six events in the third quarter, including JulyFest, the Wycliffe Rodeo and the Kimberley Accordion Festival. They have completed 21 regular shifts and four seasonal policing shifts, with a total of 181 working hours being volunteered.