RCMP report flagged a rise in reported assaults
Crowsnest Pass council heard an RCMP quarterly update on Feb. 24 that pointed to steady service demands, a staffing shortage at the local detachment and a notable in-crease in reported assaults compared with previous years.
Sgt. Mark Amatto presented the Crowsnest Pass RCMP 2025 third quarter report, covering Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025. Amatto told council the update was intended to support transparency and collaboration with municipal partners.
Amatto framed parts of the report within the context of Alberta’s police funding model and wider RCMP resourcing across the province.
“With their contributions, we have added a total of 279 police officers, 136 directly to detachments, along with 242 civilian staff,” Amatto said, adding those investments had also supported initiatives like a real time operations centre, the RCMP drone program and “enhanced investigative capacity.”
In the Crowsnest Pass, the report identified enhanced road safety as a policing priority. Amatto said the detachment responded to 82 motor vehicle collisions during the quarter, including seven non-fatal injury collisions and one fatal collision on Highway 3. He said members issued 55 tickets and 41 warnings, including one ticket for failing to stop for a school bus with flashing lights.
Amatto also said police delivered two presentations at Crowsnest Pass High School focused on impaired driving offences as well as winter driving and intersections. He said presentations at Livingstone School in Lundbreck were forecast for the following quarter.
On property crime, Amatto said theft in the community was often driven by crimes of opportunity. He described how members conducted patrols and a lock it or lose it type approach, including checks of 18 vehicles, all of which were found to be secured.
The report also highlighted domestic violence calls as part of a two-year effort to encourage reporting.
Amatto said this was “a rare example of where police would like to see an increase in reported crimes,” describing domestic violence calls as among the most dangerous for officers to respond to. He said members responded to 42 domestic violence related calls during the reporting period, spanning issues from criminal harassment and assault with a weapon to threats and sexual assault.
During questions, Mayor Pat Rypien asked about protocols and staffing related to domestic violence calls. Amatto said the detachment had backup protocols and support from surrounding detachments.
“No one will be hurt worse waiting for us,” Amatto said, adding that training and backup supports were part of how members manage risk on high emotion calls where weapons may be present.
Rypien also asked about school safety and lockdown drills, referencing events else-where. Amatto said at least one lockdown drill had been done with police involvement in the past year and that schools can request support for drills at any time.
Council also asked about staffing levels and the geography covered by the local detachment. Amatto said the Crowsnest Pass detachment has nine established regular member positions but at the time of the report there were five working. He said the detachment had access to a new staffing support unit, bringing in experienced officers from across Alberta for temporary coverage.
On statistics, Amatto cautioned that percentage changes can look dramatic in small communities. He said one category showing a large increase was assaults, which he linked in part to how occurrences are being reported and recorded, and potentially to increased reporting in domestic violence contexts as victims become more comfortable coming forward.
Council accepted the report as information. Residents with concerns about local crime trends or traffic safety can contact the Crowsnest Pass RCMP detachment or raise issues through council.