Violent crime down, overall crime up to end 2025 in North Okanagan
Published 3:30 pm Tuesday, February 10, 2026
The latest crime statistics are out in Vernon, and while they show a bump in overall Criminal Code offences to end last year, they also show a notable decrease in violent crime.
The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP has released its fourth-quarter 2025 policing report, which was presented to council at its Monday, Feb. 9 meeting.
The report shows there were 6,752 calls for service in the quarter (October through December) in the North Okanagan, a 2.1 per cent increase over the same time period in 2024.
Criminal Code offences increased by five per cent, with 2,135 such offences in the quarter.
However, violent offences in the North Okanagan totalled 386, an 8.5 per cent drop over quarter-four in 2024. These files include homicides, assaults, sexual assaults, uttering threats and criminal harassment.
Accounting for the overall crime increase is an 11.7 per cent rise in property crime, a category of crime that has been increasing steadily since at least 2022, according to the report. There were 912 instances of property crime in the fourth quarter of 2022; 978 in the quarter in 2023; 1,146 in the quarter in 2024; and 1,281 this past quarter. These crimes include break and enter, theft, mischief, arson, fraud and possession of stolen property.
The Vernon RCMP also track prolific offenders in the community. According to the report, there were 11 prolific offenders being monitored in the area at the end of this reporting period. Four of them are currently in custody and seven of them are not. Of the seven that are not, three live in or are known to frequent Vernon while two are in the north rural area and another two are in other communities.
Meanwhile, the BC Child Exploitation Unit advised of 16 reports of possession of child sexual abuse materials in the North Okanagan this past quarter.
“Each investigation requires a significant amount of time to complete production orders, execute search warrants and, where the evidence supports, prepare charge packages for Crown Counsel,” the report states.
In November, the Special Victim’s Unit (SVU) executed a search warrant at a home in the North Okanagan and seized property that substantiated the allegation of possession of child sexual abuse images.
In December, SVU took over a complex investigation involving possession of child sexual abuse and exploitative material associated with a social media platform, according to the report.
In the quarter, 15 victims were interviewed regarding sexual assault and crimes against children. Investigators work with the Oak Child and Youth Advocacy Centre to ensure children are supported throughout the criminal process.
The quarterly policing report also highlighted the RCMP’s reponse to mental health calls, its toxic drug crisis response, and community outreach initiatives.
