Kelowna crime rate on the way down

Kelowna's crime rate is below that of Penticton and Kamloops, city council will hear today.

A variety of RCMP initiatives are having the desired effect of curbing criminal activity in Kelowna, police and city officials say.

"While property offences increased in the fourth quarter over the previous year, the yearly comparison of all Criminal Code offences demonstrates a reduction in property offences, a five per cent reduction in other Criminal Code offences, and a third consecutive year of reductions in persons offences," reads part of a joint report to council from Rob Mayne, the city's director of protective services, and Kelowna RCMP Supt. Brent Mundle.

But Mayne and Mundle acknowledge the most recent citizen survey showed that public perception is that safety is declining in Kelowna.

"The decline in perception was attributed to primarily homelessness/poverty followed by drugs and break-ins," they say. "Yet, most residents still describe downtown as safe (80 per cent).

Kelowna's crime rate in December was just over six charges for every 1,000 people. That compared to nine charges for every 1,000 people in the busier month of July.

In Penticton, the crime rate in December was 7.5 charges for every 1,000 people, and in Kamloops it was nine charges for every 1,000 people.

The crime rate in the North Okanagan in December was just under five charges for every 1,000 people.