Crime stats locally are bucking the national trend

North Bay Police says they saw an increase in police activity and reported crimes in May 2015, compared to May of last year.

Deputy Police Chief Shawn Devine says that upward trend is different from the latest results from Stats Canada – which shows a national downward trend in those figures.

He was asked what might be leading to the rise locally.

He says “I do know specifically our drug charges are up from last year. Our Street Crime Unit is again being very aggressive out there in charges related to trafficking narcotics.”

Meantime, there were 17 vehicle collisions involving injuries in May.

Devine says that is a significant number and they continue to ask drivers to pay attention behind the wheel.