Mischief files have been keeping RCMP in Lloydminster busy as total files saw a large year-over-year decrease.
The 2025 detachment profile and 2026 community priority plan objectives were presented by Insp. Brian Nicholl at the March 16 Governance and Priorities Committee meeting.
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RCMP reported a decrease in total files, down 805 from the previous year.
“In 2024, we had 18,604 files; this year, we had 17,709,” he said.
He says there were 1,189 persons-crimes in 2024, up 11 in 2025 with 1,200 total persons-crimes. Property crimes, on the other hand, have also seen a large decrease.
“Property crimes, we’ve had quite a decrease,” said Nicholl, noting in 2024 there were 5,510 files and in 2025 there were 4,443, a total decrease of 1,067 files.
Total Criminal Code files also dropped from 8,673 in 2024 to 7,735 in 2025. Nicholl noted mental health files also decreased from 595 in 2024 to 377 in 2025.
While there were some sizeable decreases in file counts, there were some that saw a larger increase. Provincial and traffic offences rose from 5,869 to 7,117 from 2024 to 2025. Traffic offences rose nearly 1,000 files in the same time period.
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act file offences and federal statutes rose from 194 in 2024 to 315 in 2025.
Nicholl also pointed out Lloydminster hasn’t changed in demographics.
“Demographics of Lloyd haven’t changed. We haven’t seen an influx of people or an exodus of people,” he said. “The only thing that’s changed is our approach to policing. So, how we’re doing things proactively.”
Traffic has been a priority area for RCMP enforcement, although Nicholl says they’ve never been in a position to action it.
“So, I’ve been progressing ourselves where this year was the most successful year we’ve had in a number of years in the proactivity of our members,” he said. “We’re reducing crime by sheer presence of police.
“The biggest difference for our increase in traffic is a bit more oversight, but hands down having more people on the road.”
He also highlighted the top files by workload.
“That means the amount of time for us, a police officer, to spend on the road, managing and policing, working a file,” he said.
Mischief was No. 1 for RCMP workload, followed by 911 offences, mental health and assaults.
Nicholl also gave a breakdown of the RCMP detachment’s composition.
They run a complement of 58 members, including the member they supply to the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT).
Currently, they have 16 vacancies with three incoming recruits and four experienced members coming in.
“In my four years, this is the best we’ve ever looked,” he said. “Ultimately, we have six hard vacancies. One is a corporal position and then we have five different lateral postings.
“We’ve had more police on the road in the last six to eight months than we’ve ever had in my time here.”
Nicholl says there’s no involvement from Ottawa when it comes to day-to-day policing and priorities.
“The day-to-day policing is governed by the community here and yourselves (council),” he said.
The recommended community priorities for the upcoming year include increasing community connection and presence, crime reduction initiatives and traffic enforcement.
He spoke to work the RCMP do when it comes to traffic enforcement.
“We do a couple of big projects throughout the year where we have as many different units come in as we can; that’s going to likely stay there because that’s very successful,” said Nicholl.
He says there has been a spike in retail theft, something the RCMP is working to combat.
“Right now, retail theft in Lloydminster is quite high, so we’re doing some things to target some of those,” he said.
Administration noted there are 25 businesses signed up through its new Authorized General Enforcement for Nuisances and Trespassing (AGENT) program. The program authorizes police and peace officers to act as representatives when addressing trespassing, loitering and other unlawful activity on their property.
Nicholl says they’ve reduced the workload for each of their officers.
“Two years ago, we were having 60 files per shift on average, and we’ve reduced that dramatically,” he explained.
He was also asked about how they deal with some of the more prolific offenders, talking specifically about an offender management program.
“You pick a couple of your highest-profile people and you adopt them as your initiative,” said Nicholl.
This could encompass getting people to their appointments or ensuring they’re following their conditions.
“We’re back to the challenge of how much policing time do you take out for non-policing issues,” he said. “It turns into policing issues because these guys are doing the top amount of crime.”
At a recent town hall held by the municipal police committee, members discussed the possibility of restorative justice in Lloydminster. One of the hurdles is being bi-provincial; both the Saskatchewan and Alberta courts would need to be involved. Another issue is finding someone to spearhead the initiative.
“I really wish we had more of a robust restorative justice program here,” said Nicholl. “It really needs somebody within that circle to take that on. Because we don’t do it, we normally feed into it, we usually sit on boards.”
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