Despite Comox鈥檚 relatively low crime rate, overall calls for service and police activity increased in 2023 within the town, according to RCMP.
In their quarterly report to the council at the March 13 strategic planning meeting, the Comox Valley RCMP noted in the past year there were 2,577 calls for service - a 13 per cent increase from the 2,285 calls in 2022.
According to the report, the municipality鈥檚 most common call for service pertained to check wellbeing files - a 51 per cent (83 file) increase relative to 2022. Both property and disturbance calls increased as well last year, an increase of 35 and 45 files respectively.
In 2023, the most common type of violent crime file in Comox was assault but decreased from 66 to 67 compared to 2022.
One type of violent crime that increased notably in the past three years is extortion; in 2023, all extortion files in Comox were cases of 鈥榮extortion鈥� in which suspects threatened to release nude photos of victims if the victims did not send money to the suspects. In both 2019 and 2020, there were no reports of extortion; in 2023, this number increased to 10.
Most of Comox鈥檚 violent crime files were concentrated around Guthrie and McDonald roads; Guthrie at Anderton roads; the Comox Marina; Denman Street and Guthrie at Lazo roads.
Last year there were 424 property crime files within the town - a seven per cent increase from 397 files in 2022. In 2023 the most common type of property crime was mischief to property. Other property crimes in which there were notable increases compared to 2022 included residential break and enters (a rise of seven files), shoplifting (rising to 16 files from eight), bike theft (14 compared to eight) and business break and enters (14 compared to seven).
According to the RCMP, property crime files in Comox were most concentrated in the areas around the marina and downtown.
As for traffic offences in Comox, police saw a 17 per cent increase from the previous year - 272 compared to 232. Eighty-nine per cent of the files in 2023 pertained to the impaired operation of motor vehicles.
In the report, Staff Sgt. and acting Officer-in-Charge Corey Kilborn asked council along with the other Valley municipalities to identify the top five areas of concern for policing services for the year.
