The Staff Sergeant at Steinbach RCMP says a commitment to increased police visibility is having positive results. Harold Laninga presented a report to city council Tuesday night. He says stepped up traffic enforcement has led to more tickets being issued to motorists who are breaking the law and a corresponding decrease in accidents and impaired charges. Laninga says the number of traffic tickets issued in the first six months of this year was up significantly compared to the same period last year.

"In 2016, there were 237 and in 2017, there were 323, so almost 100 more. I think that's indicative of the effort we're trying to put in to keeping our roads safe. I think you're seeing a reduction in traffic accidents accordingly and, to some degree, the impaired's are also down from 41 to 23 over that same period."

Mayor Chris Goertzen says council welcomes that information.

"That tells you that they've been out in force, they've been visible, they've been warning people that we need to be driving safely here in Steinbach and, obviously, we see some good results in that."

Laninga says many of the other statistics for things like drug offences, theft and mischief are very consistent from last year to this year. He also told city council the General Investigation Section, or GIS Unit, has not been operating for the past several months due to a shortage of officers. But he adds more officers are coming and it will be back in service this fall to handle larger investigations.

"We've named a Corporal, my understanding is he has accepted a transfer here, so that will fill our Corporal position. And, I just became aware that one of the people that we have been waiting to transfer here has sold his house and is moving here. This will give us, what we call, sufficient strength to fill those positions. So I anticipate them being filled fairly shortly. It's incredibly important, the GIS Unit and the work that they do."

City council commended RCMP for the job they are doing. Council also agreed to keep policing priorities the same for another year. They include maintaining high police visibility and traffic enforcement, focusing attention on organized crime and drugs as well as staying on top of property crimes such as vandalism and break-ins.