Meadow Lake RCMP detachment. (Image Credit: meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Alyssa Rudolph

RCMP REPORT

Meadow Lake crime rises in 2025, RCMP say public safety not at risk

Mar 26, 2026 | 3:29 PM

Last year’s third quarter RCMP report shows an increase in overall crime, but Staff Sgt. Carl Dinsdale said the statistics show nothing ‘earth-shattering’. 

“Overall, I’m not seeing any specific issues in the crime stats for October to December that give me any real cause for alarm in regards to public safety for Meadow Lake,” he explained.  

However, there are a few jumps in the recent report that he said could be concerning without further explanation. One shows that over the past five years; robberies have taken a 50 per cent jump. 

“Robberies are a crime of violence and a crime against persons, so that is concerning. I have found since being in Meadow Lake that a large percentage, probably the majority of violent person’s offences, occur between two parties that know each other and are involved in a criminalistic lifestyle.” 

He ensures the RCMP have not seen a trend of random acts of violence against people who do not know each other or by the general public.  

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Between 2024 and 2025, harassment and uttering threats offences saw a 28 per cent increase. 

“Those boil down to a real growing trend in cybercrime, like online harassment, online threats,” said Dinsdale. “These types of trends are developing because people are human beings by nature and find it easier to express themselves with anger or violence when they’re removed from the immediate presence of the person they’re expressing that too.” 

The overall spike in last year’s report mainly comes from provincial traffic, which totalled nearly 1,500 offences.  

“Our highway patrol people got some new staff on board that are out there, and they’ve filled some vacancies. So, their numbers took a big jump. If it hadn’t been for the jump in provincial traffic, the numbers would be almost the same as 2024.” 

Dinsdale said one thing that has stood out to him so far in 2026 is the significant increase in offences relating to damage to property or obstructing the enjoyment of someone’s property.  

“It might not necessarily be damage; it might just be someone in a residence not allowing someone to enjoy their property by their behaviour, that’s taken a jump.” 

He also points out an 800 per cent increase in impaired driving offences.  

“That could be a result of proactive work being done by the members having the opportunity to be out there and stopping, conducting more traffic stops and the administration of the mandatory alcohol assessments,” he added. 

Dinsdale reminds the public that ‘no call is too small’ and asks that if a crime is spotted, it be reported for the RCMP’s documentation.  

“Even if we can’t do anything about it in the immediate sense, all that information can form the basis of an ongoing investigation and can perhaps be used later or be applied to a different investigation and that’s valuable information for us.” 

He said community members have also mentioned concerns for being subject to possible retaliation if they report a crime.  

“If you want to talk to the police and you express to the police that the information you have has to remain confidential, we have tools to allow for that. Crime Stoppers is also still very active and very accessible, both online and by telephone.” 

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Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com