Social disorder offences spiked in Kelowna at the end of 2025

Police 'must keep adapting'

Photo: Colin Dacre-file

Kelowna crime numbers dropped slightly overall in 2025, however social issues are cause for concern

Crime in Kelowna, against both people and property, dropped slightly in 2025 compared with the previous year, but a large uptick in social disorder related incidents during the final quarter of the year drove some numbers up.

The increase, particularly seen in the downtown and Rutland areas, has caused anger and frustration within the business community, leading to a recent city-sponsored public safety forum.

Mischief and social disorder offences jumped more than 20 per cent over the final quarter of 2024.

Overall figures contained within a year-end report to be presented to city council Monday on show property crime relatively static in 2025 while crimes against persons dropped nearly a full percentage point.

Within those numbers, assault with a weapon (-25.9 per cent), residential B & E (-16.9per cent), auto theft (-16.5 per cent), theft from vehicle (-11.9 per cent) and fraud (-10.2 per cent) saw the biggest declines while bike theft (+23.2 per cent), robbery (+17.2 per cent), mischief (+15per cent) and shoplifting (+6 per cent) saw the largest increase.

Fewer people (-15.3 per cent) were recommended for charges in 2025 compared with the previous year. That number has declined more than 30 per cent since 2022.

“In 2025, Kelowna’s community safety picture showed progress and pressure at the same time,” Supt. Chris Goebel wrote in his year end report.

“Several indicators improved while repeat property crime and visible disorder remained concentrated in specific areas and continued to disrupt daily life and economic activity.

“As the city grows, risk patterns shift and targets change, so enforcement, prevention and partner-led responses must keep adapting.”

The report also shows sex offences declined 3.9 per cent, however figures from Interior Health show sexual assault disclosures are increasing with 81 cases in Kelowna compared with 65 in 2024.

Nearly half (49.4 per cent) of the Kelowna patients chose to report to police, reflecting a rising willingness to come forward, said Goebel.

The RCMPs auxiliary program, which was paused in August of last year for updates to training material, has resumed. Goebel says Tier 1 training materials, which will allow auxiliaries to begin performing some designated tasks, have been completed.