Crime in Prince George appears to be dropping, according to new data from Statistics Canada. Local officials say this matches what they’ve seen in recent months. But not everyone believes the numbers reflect what’s really happening on the streets.
City Councillor Ron Polillo, a member of the Public Safety Committee, welcomed the news. He said the data supports what the committee has heard from local RCMP officials during monthly meetings.
“It’s good news,” Polillo said, adding that more work still needs to be done to improve public safety. He pointed to the upcoming relaunch of the Community Block Watch program in September as a sign of that ongoing effort. The program encourages residents to work together to prevent crime, not just in the downtown core but across the entire city.
Polillo also credited the city’s investment in police services over the past three years. According to him, the extra support has helped the RCMP and contributed to the drop in crime.
“When you help from many directions, it adds up,” he said. “We’ve seen some real progress.”
But not everyone agrees with that view.
Eoin Foley, President of Downtown Prince George and a leader of the Save Our Streets (S.O.S.) Coalition, says many local business owners feel crime is not going down at all. He believes the numbers may be misleading due to underreporting.
“I’m not saying the RCMP isn’t doing good work,” Foley said, “but a lot of crime might not be getting reported anymore.”
According to Foley, the S.O.S. Coalition conducted a survey of business owners across the province. The results showed that most participants believe crime is underreported, especially in northern B.C. In fact, 94% of respondents said underreporting is a serious issue.
The main reason? A lack of trust in the criminal justice system.
Foley said many feel that even when the police do their job, the courts fail to follow through. The so-called “catch and release” approach to offenders has caused growing frustration. As a result, some business owners are starting to take matters into their own hands.
“Even when the RCMP does its job, the system lets them down,” he said.
Issues like bail reform and court decisions fall outside the city’s control. Still, Polillo said the Public Safety Committee is trying to make a difference where it can.
One local effort is the launch of a pilot program for new downtown security cameras. The aim is to support police investigations and improve the chances of convicting repeat offenders.
Polillo said the upgraded cameras will have much better video quality and will be monitored in real time. Foley also supports this step. He noted that the new system could help when older building-mounted cameras fail to capture useful evidence.
However, both men agree that real change requires action from higher levels of government. Foley believes the province and federal government need to act fast to restore public trust.
“There has to be real reform,” he said. “People have been waiting for years, and nothing has changed.”
Despite the encouraging crime statistics, many in Prince George remain cautious. They want to see long-term solutions—not just numbers on a page.
