RCMP report from M.D. of Taber council meeting

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

During the M.D. of Taber Council meeting on May 27, Taber/Vauxhall RCMP detachment commander Sergeant Stewart Gemmill presented the April 2025 stats from the detachment to Council.

Sergeant Gemmill explained that the detachment responded to 153 calls for service, with 116 of those being within the M.D. of Taber. The detachment, Sergeant Gemmill stated, also made two impaired roadside suspensions, one in the M.D. of Taber and one in Vauxhall; and also had 23 Criminal Code violations reported to them, with 16 of those being within the M.D. of Taber.

The detachment, Sergeant Gemmill stated, also addressed 16 9-1-1 hangups, with 14 of those being within the M.D. of Taber.

“That’s a good number,” said Sergeant Gemmill. “It’s getting lower.”

Sergeant Gemmill explained that the detachment also did 32 criminal record checks, and four fingerprint checks for the general public.

In terms of patrols, Sergeant Gemmill reported that the detachment conducted 23 in Barnwell, 39 in Vauxhall, 35 in Grassy Lake, seven in Hays, and seven in Enchant. In addition to that,  Sergeant Gemmill stated, the detachment wrote 36 violation tickets with 33 of those being in the M.D. of Taber.

Sergeant Gemmill then provided Council a look at the Provincial Crime Gauge, comparing January to April 2024 to January to April 2025, stating that person’s crimes are up 82 per cent, property crimes are up 46 per cent, other Criminal Code violations are up one per cent, total Criminal Code violations have increased 47 per cent, there has been one more instance of breaking and entering, five more instances of theft of motor vehicles, one fewer instance of theft under $5,000. 

Aside from that, Sergeant Gemmill explained, the detachment also laid charges in six criminal investigations within the month of April. The detachment additionally addressed three fraud complaints, four mischief complaints, three theft under $5,000 complaints, and two stolen vehicle complaints within that month, while three other investigations were cleared without charges and five investigations into the remaining offences are still open and progressing.

Regarding community engagement, Sergeant Gemmill explained, Constable Ryan Di-Loreto attended and participated in the Taber Sports Hall of Fame ceremony in red serge.

“That’s what’s been going on at my office,” explained Sergeant Gemmill.

Following Sergeant Gemmill’s presented report, Reeve Miyanaga brought attention to a statistic on the wider report regarding the fact that there are total of nine files with the Spousal Abuse survey code in April, which brings the year-to-date total to 21, versus 10 in 2024, as that number is ‘concerning.’ 

Reeve Miyanaga inquired of Sergeant Gemmill if there was anything the M.D. could be doing increasing awareness about domestic violence through social media or the M.D. of Taber newsletter, as it is important to make people aware of what helps are available.

Sergeant Gemmill stated he has been in communication with the Crown prosecutor regarding the issue and there is someone putting together a domestic violence awareness package and also putting a QR code together for the bathrooms in the courthouse, but he acknowledged that information might also be useful to add to the M.D. of Taber’s What’sApp channel as well and promised to pass the information about the What’sApp channel along to the Crown prosecutor.

A motion was ultimately made to receive the RCMP report for information and the motion was carried.