Page 8 - OCtOBer 6, 2016 - martensville messenger
Local RCMP Present Statistics to Martensville City Council
Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger
ABOVE: Sergeant Chris Cisecki joined the local RCMP detachment June of 2016.
- CITY COUNCIL -
CROSS
At the September 6th Martensville City Council meeting,
Staff Sergeant Rob Eyre, Sergeant Christopher Cisecki
(Martensville) and Sergeant Greg Todd (Warman) of the RCMP
presented a report to council that highlighted the various calls
that have taken place in Martensville throughout the year. The
local RCMP detachment consists of an amalgamation between
Warman, Martensville, Radisson and Delisle detachments.
Staff Sergeant Eyre is in charge of these detachments, with two
Sergeants (Cisecki and Todd) beneath him that are responsible
for much of the operational and administrative policing duties
for the detachments.
Numbers presented to Council showed an increase in
certain areas throughout the summer months. For example, for
Provincial Traffic Offences, a total of 126 tickets have been
issued from January 1st to August 31st, with 61 of those being
issued between June and August. “As part of our planning for
the detachments priorities for the year, we consult with Mayor
and Council on what concerns they have within the community
and try to address them in our service delivery. Traffic Offenses
within the city is a concern that was brought to our attention and
as a result of this consultation we came up with new ways to
address the specific concern, such as check stops and targeted
enforcement. Seeing a substantial increase in the number of
traffic offences means that we are writing more tickets as a result
of the initiatives that we come up with,” Cisecki explained.
Other areas that saw a significant increase throughout the
summer months were theft under $5000, Mischief, and Break
and Enters. These numbers are typical for the warmer months.
A common occurrence within Martensville is vehicle break in’s, and there is often
numerous vehicles hit throughout one night. According to Sgt. Cisecki, the number of
vehicle break in’s over the past year versus the previous year, are virtually the same;
however, the number of thefts of vehicles has seen a slight increase. Please ensure your
vehicle is always locked, and that no valuables are left in sight, that your vehicle is parked
in a well-lit area, and if you see any suspicious activity, contact the police immediately.
“This summer we had diligent community members call us about suspicious people
trying door handles on cars. We were able to attend immediately and arrest three youth for
breaking into vehicles,” Sgt. Cisecki stated. During the winter months, it is recommended
not to leave your vehicle running with the keys inside, even if you are just running into the
store for a moment, or if it is left in your own driveway.
When it comes to your home, to ensure safety, always make sure doors are locked.
Look into the option of installing an alarm system and ensure your home is lit up. “Sensor
lights are a fantastic deterrent to would be thieves and can alert you or your neighbor to
their presence. Neighbors watching out for neighbors is a great thing,” Cisecki added.
The local RCMP performed a school blitz on September 1st between Martensville
and Warman school zones, with a total of 18 tickets issued. Sergeant Cisecki, who assumed
his position within the local RCMP detachment as of June 2016, explained that there will
often be a police presence within the school zones and that the Warman and Martensville
RCMP have a school resource officer who is frequently in the schools. “The increased and
targeted enforcement in the school zones at the beginning of the year are one of the ways
that we use to remind people that School Zone safety is something that is taken seriously
by the RCMP, City Council and the members of the community. Usually the increased
enforcement at the beginning of the school year
deters people from speeding in the school zones the
rest of the year, but we do continue to monitor these
areas throughout the year,” Cisecki said. “I believe
that the RCMP are doing a good job in the community.
They are constantly striving to make improvements
to their services. There is more visibility within
the community and more presence at various
events,” City Councilman Bob Blackwell said.
Council had questions for the RCMP Sergeants
regarding the Speed Spy that is used within
Martensville to help select target areas for
enforcement. City Council would like to share the
information gathered from the Speed Spy with
residents of Martensville, and the RCMP agreed
and encouraged the City to highlight areas where
they would like to see the Speed Spy set up in the
future. Speeding is a continued issue both within
Martensville City limits, and on Highway 12 outside
of Martensville. This past June, there was a recorded
speed of over 70km/hr on 4th Street South in
Martensville, which is data that Councilor Blackwell
found completely unacceptable. This information
prompted Blackwell to do some research, where
he discovered how various speeds affect stopping
times and distances for an average family car. There
are factors that change the results, such as having
more than one person in the vehicle, attentiveness
of the driver, impairment and the condition of the
brakes and tires. Continued on Page 9.