Coquitlam RCMP issued 89% more speeding tickets in first quarter of 2025

The Coquitlam RCMP have been cracking down on traffic violations in Port Coquitlam over the last four months.

On May 6, RCMP Supt. Darren Carr presented 2025’s first quarterly report to council, showing ticketing was significantly up compared to the three-year average.

“The more we invest in something, the more we’re going to see a return on investment,” Carr said. “There is definitely a direct correlation with enforcement on behaviors, but it tends to be short lived.”

Traffic safety has been prioritized by the department due to public concerns related to distracted driving and speeding in school zones and residential areas, the report stated.

Coquitlam officers spent more than 135 hours targeting traffic along key roadways like the Mary Hill Bypass, Coast Meridian Road, and Prairie Avenue, and hundreds more hours of general traffic patrols to catch unsafe drivers, according to the report.

The number of traffic tickets issued for the quarter were up 65 percent compared to the three-year average, as officers conducted more than 1,500 traffic stops. Around 47 percent of the stops were speed related.

In total, 717 speeding tickets were handed out, an increase of 89 percent; moving infractions were up 18 percent, drivers-licence infractions were up 75 percent, vehicle-related infractions were up 89 percent, and intersection infractions were up 104 percent.

Despite the increased enforcement, seat belt infractions were down 33 percent, and drug and alcohol infractions were down 25 percent.

“It’s great that we’re enforcing,” said Coun. Dean Washington. “Any time that you focus on that, infractions are going to go up because you’re out there.”

Washington suggested police shift their focus during the summer months, and Carr agreed, stating the city will likely be seeing increased police activity around public parks.

Coun. Darrell Penner also raised safety concerns about westbound traffic on the Mary Hill Bypass, which he described as “scary.” “I have seen so many big rigs just blast through that,” Penner said.

Crime was generally down in the first quarter of 2025, according to the report. Compared to the three-year average, persons crimes were down 7 percent, and property crimes were down nine percent. Mental health files were also down 6 percent.

Persons Crime:

Assaults: 58 cases (↓ 10 percent)

Robberies: 2 cases (↓ 54 percent)

Sex offences: 14 cases (↑ 36 percent)

Property Crimes

Break & Enter (Residence): 5 cases (↓ 61 percent)

Break & Enter (Business): 22 cases (↓ 3 percent)

Theft from vehicle: 73 cases (↓ 10 percent)

Theft of vehicle: 15 cases (↓ 2 percent)

Shoplifting: 68 cases (↑ 10 percent)

Fraud: 65 cases (↑ 5 percent)