Creston RCMP responded to 917 calls for service in the last quarter of 2025, with overall call volumes remaining consistent with 2024.
Staff Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk provided council with the detachment’s latest quarterly report on Feb. 10.
Buliziuk said the detachment handled just under 4,200 calls for service for the full 2025 calendar year.
“We’re just under 4,200 calls for service for the calendar year, 2025. The split on those, 472 calls for service in the municipality, 406 in the rural area,” said Buliziuk.
Early figures for 2026 show comparable trends.
“Looking at the start of 26, we were at 394 calls for service when I left the truck, with a split of 198 in the municipality and 182 in the rural area. So again, the numbers on the split have been relatively consistent the last couple of years now with the averages.”
He said the detachment saw a typical seasonal slowdown over the holidays, but noted workloads typically rise as winter conditions improve.
“We were fortunately through the holiday season, things tapered a little bit, which was nice and allowed us to give a couple of our members a little bit of time off to be with family,” he said.
“As the weather’s been getting a bit better here, the workload increases as is typical.”
Staffing shortages remain a concern. The detachment is staffed with 12 of 13 officers, though Buliziuk noted staffing levels will soon drop further.
“We have one hard vacancy. That is going to increase to a second hard vacancy in the next, I’ll have the notification of that the coming couple of weeks with a transfer taking place in the next 90 days as we’re losing a member to Ottawa. That’ll put us to 11 of 13.”
He noted operational strength is lower when factoring in medical leave.
“Once we get to that number of 11, we are down two more of those positions due to long-term medical leave. And one is currently on a graduated return to work as a result of a physical injury. So as of right now, we’re functioning 9 of 13, myself included in that.”
On enforcement, Buliziuk said drug investigations have continued, though he noted a shift in seizure volumes.
“We’ve executed a number of Control Drugs and Substances Act search warrants. The trend from the work being done over the last couple of years is that the amounts, the quantities of seizure is significantly less,” said Buliziuk.
“My perception around that is we’ve been hitting these regular clients on a regular basis, and that often leads to mistrust in organizational levels above them to handle as much quantity at a time. So positive results is ultimately what I’m saying.”
He said a recent warrant also established links to higher-level organized crime in the Lower Mainland.
“In one of our last search warrant executions, we did have a connection established to known higher scale organized crime in the lower mainland. That crime group is known to be trying to advance their agenda around the province, and obviously us being a prime location with our international border accessibility.”
However, Buliziuk said those files can trigger additional provincial support.
“The plus side with that is they are the province’s highest priority for enforcement. So it comes with some additional funding and support on that side of things too to help the municipality.”
Property crime also remains an issue, though Buliziuk described it as “concentrated” among repeat offenders.
“Property crime continue to have what I would refer to as isolated issues. I mean that in the sense of it’s coming from the same couple of clients over and over again,” he said.
“When those clients are removed from community in a custodial status for short periods of time, I find it rather interesting that much of the property crime doesn’t take place during those absences.”
Councillors asked Buliziuk about the impact of the recriminalization of small quantities of illicit drugs, which came into effect at the end of January.
“It doesn’t have a tremendous impact here because a lot of the drug files that we work, we’ve found our way to success in obtaining judicial authorizations without having to deal with the under 2.5 gram levels,” said Buliziuk.
Still, he said restoring officers’ ability to enforce possession thresholds provides added flexibility.
“Having the ability to enforce that again does give us more tools in our kit. You’re starting at the user level and working your way up the ladder and having the ability to detain under those circumstances is definitely beneficial in my view from an enforcement standpoint.”
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