Ponoka sees decrease in criminal activity

PONOKA -- Ponoka RCMP have released their latest crime statistics.

According to the second quarter data -- which covers the months of April, May, and June -- overall criminal activity in Ponoka fell by 19 per cent when compared to the same period last year. This has been mainly driven by a reduction in property crime, which has become a province-wide priority for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

One of the largest reductions came in the break-and-enter category, as there were nine incidents recorded in Q2 2025, down from 25 during the same period in 2024. Cases of mischief-property damage also fell substantially from last year, as there were 20 incidents from April to July compared to 41 during Q2 2024. Another surprising statistic came in the way of thefts under $5,000. Despite municipalities from across the province seeing an increase in this category, Ponoka saw a 36 per cent decrease.

Meantime, some of the few categories that saw a year-over-year increase during the second quarter included incidents of disturbing the peace, which rose 17 per cent. Incidents relating to the Mental Health Act and municipal bylaws also saw increases in Q2 2025 when compared to the same period last year.

Other noteworthy statistics from the latest crime data show declines in the categories of spousal abuse, uttering threats, assaults, and weapons offences. For their traffic stats, Ponoka RCMP say there were five motor vehicle collisions resulting in injury from April to July, while 20 MVIs resulted in property damage.