SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - It appears that 2009 was a year of less crime in Yellowknife. Calls to the RCMP for 15 specific crimes, including robbery, assaults and theft , decreased in 2009 compared to 2008, according to recent RCMP stats.

Calls for robbery were down by almost half. Statistics naturally vary from year to year, said RCMP Const. Kathy Law, adding that the increased number of RCMP officers in Yellowknife may have led to the decrease.

The detachment was operating with a full staff for most of the year, she said.

"Maybe it's because we have more people out on the roads. Our watches are pretty much full, it means more officers out patrolling." The Crime Reduction Unit, added the summer of 2007, has had an impact, she said.

"They're able to be out patrolling in plain clothes. It's a lot harder for regular detachment members to focus on one type of crime whereas with the Crime Reduction Unit they can look at any trends that may be happening and focus on those."

Assault calls were down to 996 in 2009 from 1,047 in 2008. Calls did increase, on the other hand, for eight crimes, including drug trafficking and traffic infractions. Law said their was no apparent reason for this increase. There were also 325 more prisoners in RCMP cells in 2009 than the year before. Law said this didn't cause any crowding problems.

"In the whole scheme of things it's not a lot more prisoners," she said. "And it's not like we didn't have the space for them, so it didn't really have much impact."

The Yellowknife detachment has eight cells on the male side and three on the female side. The cells held 532 more prisoners in 2009 compared to 2008, Law said.

The downside to having more prisoners is that it takes up a lot of officers' time that could be spent trying to prevent crime, she said.

Presently there are 38 officers at work in Yellowknife, down six from a full complement, however. "With transfers coming up, I anticipate those numbers will be coming up pretty soon," Law added.

Lydia Bardak, executive director of the John Howard Society, said she didn't notice any major crime trends in 2009. The society supports people through the criminal court system.

"There have been certain unmet needs for a long time," she said. Support in the justice system for teenagers and the mentally ill is lacking, and that continued in 2009, said Bardak.

Bardak, who is also a city councillor, said she has been hearing positive feedback from downtown business owners and property managers about a decrease in crime there.

Of course, crime hits even the RCMP. Last year was an emotional time for officers as the murder trial of Emrah Bulatci took place in Yellowknife. Bulatci was convicted in November of first degree murder for the killing of RCMP Const. Christopher Worden in Hay River in 2007.

"It was a very difficult time, it was tough to get through for everybody," said Law. "People often refer to the RCMP as being a big family and you do become friends with the people you work with. I think people just really pulled together for emotional support."

The year also held a major staff change in Yellowknife as Inspector Dave Elliot took over as detachment commander in December. "It's been great, he's been a great asset to the detachment, he's very approachable," said Law.