After seeing some alarming statistics in the Okotoks RCMP's second-quarter report, Mayor Bill Robertson is looking for change.

The RCMP's report to Council outlined a seven per cent increase in the first half of 2015 over the first half of 2014, with the following statistics given specific attention:

- 102% increase in Spousal Abuse occurrences (46:102)
- 100.2% increase in Theft Over $5000 occurrences (4:9)
- 62% increase in the number of Break and Enter occurrences (29:47)
- 40.5% increase in reported Fraud occurrences (37:52)
- 66.6% decrease in Possession of stolen goods occurrences (15:5)
- 28% decrease in Theft of motor vehicle occurrences (49:35)

Robertson says Council needs to be pro-active in finding ways to reducing crime rates in town, starting with a conversation with police.

"We've asked that the RCMP come to our next Council to address these statistics, what we can do to alleviate things," he says. "We hire the RCMP to handle criminal investigations and things under the Criminal Code in particular, and you know, I wasn't the only one, I think Council as a whole was quite concerned with the statistics we saw there."

Robertson says the most concerning statistic for him is the astronomical increase in spousal abuse for the first half of 2015 compared to 2014.

He says he believes stress within families could be higher right now do to issues with the economy, and something needs to be done to curb that stat.

"Those factors all contribute to more social problems in society," he says. "So, with the downturn in the economy, perhaps some might say that those things are going to increase. But, we need to be pro-active and do whatever we can do to try and address some of those concerns, and reduce the likelihood of them occurring."

Robertson says the high volume of vandalism over the Summer is also a sore spot, as it takes money right out of resident's pockets.

"Everything costs money to repair to clean up, and that's all taxpayer dollars," he says. "Taxpayer dollars are stretched as it is, nobody likes paying taxes, but we shouldn't have to repair things because they've been destroyed."

Robertson says Council plans to meet with the RCMP to address this issues during the Sep. 14 meeting.