When it comes to crime stats in Niverville and Ritchot, according to Corporal Melanie Roussel, RCMP media relations officer, 2025 maintained the status quo from the previous year. There doesn’t seem to be a direct correlation between crime rates and population growth.
The one exception, she says, is that of the number of traffic tickets issued in Ritchot. Those went down significantly in 2025, numbering 244 compared to 467 in 2024.
But before residents get excited, that number needn’t necessarily be a reflection of fewer violators. Sometimes it’s about the number of RCMP available to monitor the roads.
“I think it’s a combination of many things,” Roussel says. “Our member numbers do fluctuate, and there’s maybe other factors like Traffic Services not being as present as they were the year before.”
Roussel says the RCMP’s Traffic Services division is solely dedicated to traffic enforcement. They are headquartered out of Headingly and patrol the Niverville/Ritchot region along with many other areas. Their presence here is limited and the number of officers and patrol cars varies from one time to the next.
Of the 244 traffic tickets issued in Ritchot in 2025, 231 were for speeding. Niverville saw 56 speeding tickets handed out, up from 21 the year before.
“Is that because there’s more RCMP presence in Niverville because of the new office?” Roussel asks. “Probably.”
Of the 14 reported cases of impaired driving in Ritchot, four charges were laid. One charge was laid out of nine reported incidents in Niverville.
For those who believe the RCMP no longer hand out warnings, the 18 warnings issued in Ritchot and nine in Niverville would prove otherwise.
Crimes against property is something that affects homeowners and business owners alike.
When it comes to theft under $5,000, ten reports were made in Ritchot, but no charges were laid. Similarly, 12 calls came in for theft over $5,000 with no one charged. Fifteen calls were received regarding mischief and one charge laid. Break-and-enters resulted in two charges from the 12 reported incidents.
In Niverville, nine calls were recorded for theft under $5,000 and three charges were laid. Theft over $5,000 resulted in five charges. RCMP received 43 mischief related calls and laid five charges while giving 15 warnings. Roussel says there’s a good chance that all of these are related to one or two isolated events. There was one reported break and enter with no charges laid.
Disparities like these beg a question: are RCMP continually failing to get their man?
“Usually we get the report after the fact,” Roussel clarifies. “People [often] don’t have cameras. We go there and take fingerprints, but those fingerprints may not be in the database.”
As well, she adds, if goods are stolen in Ritchot, for example, and the suspect is caught in Winnipeg, it is recorded in a Winnipeg police file rather than at the St. Pierre-Jolys detachment.
Crimes against persons is another broad category monitored by the RCMP. This might include drug-related offenses. In 2025, one person was charged for possession of methamphetamines in Ritchot. There was one charge of trafficking meth in Niverville.
“That might mean that we pulled over a car and it was full of drugs,” Roussel says. “It doesn’t mean that person comes from Niverville.”
Assaults against persons may include domestic violence or aggravated assault. RCMP received eight calls out of Ritchot and laid seven charges. Three of those were assaults against police officers. They were called to Niverville a whopping 60 times, leading to a total of 19 charges. Again, Roussel says this could very well be related to repeat offenders.
Assault with a weapon takes its own category, although the term weapon could refer to anything from a frying pan to a butter knife if wielded at someone; it’s not necessarily a gun or machete. Ritchot had two such charges while Niverville saw 13.
As for reports of harassment, intimidation, and uttering threats, Ritchot saw no charges. In Niverville, 12 charges resulted from 32 reported calls.
In terms of false alarms attended to by the RCMP, they happen on a regular basis. Most often, Roussel says, they’re related to surveillance systems that go off without just cause.
In Ritchot, there were 33 such situations. Niverville saw 56.
When it comes to reporting suspicious activity, Roussel says they rely heavily on residents to be their eyes and ears and use the proper reporting mechanisms to get the information where it needs to go.
“Obviously, please continue calling to report any type of suspicious activity or crime. We don’t monitor Facebook. Sometimes council will call us, but it has to come from the person with the complaint. If there’s a car you don’t recognize, take a picture, get a license plate, or get a description of whose driving.”
All these details are logged into a database, she says. What might not seem important today could become the key piece of information needed to solve a crime tomorrow.