West Shore RCMP Reports Surge in Mental Health and Drug Cases

The West Shore Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported an increase in service calls during the first half of 2025, with a total of 12,886 files opened from January to June. This figure represents a 3.17 percent rise compared to the 12,447 calls recorded in the same period last year. Among various categories, several trends emerged, particularly in mental health and drug-related incidents.

A significant jump was noted in shoplifting cases, which rose by 25.7 percent. Drug-related offences saw an even more pronounced increase, with total drug offences climbing 33.3 percent. Traffic warnings also spiked by 19.7 percent. In contrast, impaired driving charges fell sharply, declining by 22 percent, while total tickets issued decreased by 16.6 percent.

Key Areas of Concern

Langford, the busiest area within the West Shore jurisdiction, recorded 7,290 calls for service, a 3.3 percent increase from the 7,054 calls in the first half of 2024. Notably, drug-related incidents in Langford surged, with total drug offences rising from 20 to 37, and drug possession cases leaping from five to 22.

Colwood experienced one of the most significant increases in mental health-related calls, with figures rising from 167 in 2024 to 211 in 2025. Overall, Colwood’s total calls increased by 4.4 percent, from 2,577 to 2,688.

In contrast, View Royal saw a slight decline of two percent, reducing total calls to 1,609. Metchosin’s calls rose by 11.1 percent, increasing from 433 to 481. Highlands also recorded a sharp increase, with calls climbing 25 percent from 136 to 170.

On the other hand, calls on Songhees Nation lands decreased by 2.2 percent, from 418 to 409, while Esquimalt Nation saw an 11.4 percent drop, with 31 calls compared to 35 last year.

Addressing Mental Health and Impaired Driving Concerns

During the first half of 2025, there were 92 impaired driving charges across the West Shore, marking a 22 percent decline from the previous year. Despite this reduction, Inspector Stephen Rose emphasized that impaired driving remains a pressing issue. He stated, “One would think in 2025, we wouldn’t necessarily need to continue to educate people about driving while impaired, or while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.” He urged the community to consider alternatives to impaired driving, such as arranging transportation ahead of social events.

The rise in mental health-related files across the West Shore was 7.3 percent, increasing from 956 to 1,026. Inspector Rose credited the Mobile Integrated Crisis Response Teams for their effective management of these calls. This team includes three police officers and two nurses with specialized mental health training.

“The value of that team is how they respond to those people in crisis,” Rose explained. “Because the nurse has access to the medical records of the person that they’re attending to, they are able to best support the response as opposed to just police officers attending from a public safety lens.”

This collaboration between law enforcement and healthcare professionals aims to provide a more comprehensive response to individuals in crisis, ultimately leading to better outcomes for those affected by mental health issues.