Merritt Mounties report overall reduction in cases, increase in mental health calls for 2025

Merritt Mounties are reporting a slight reduction in calls for service in 2025 compared to a year ago.

Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Josh Roda is set to present updated figures to the council on Thursday during a Police Committee Meeting.

While the year is not quite complete, Roda noted that the figures paint a ‘strong representative snapshot’ of 2025.

“To date, we have responded to 6,374 calls for service, and we anticipate closing the year with more than 6,500 calls. This places us just below last year’s total of 6,762 calls for service. While the overall volume is slightly reduced compared to 2024, the consistency in demand underscores both the ongoing needs of the community and the sustained commitment of our Detachment to meet them,” wrote Roda.

“This decrease is largely attributed to sustained efforts in the downtown core and the fact that several repeat offenders remain in custody,” adds Roda.

Merritt Mounties have responded to 228 mental health act files, already surpassing the 201 calls in 2024 in the community.

“These files demand a considerable investment of police time and resources, a challenge compounded by reduced local mental health services in Merritt. In many cases, officers are required to transport individuals to Kamloops, which diverts them from criminal investigations and proactive policing initiatives. This ongoing strain underscores the need for enhanced local supports to ensure that police resources can be more effectively directed toward community safety and crime prevention,” mentions Roda.

The Merritt Detachment also welcomed four new members from Depot in the Fall.