Deer-traffic collisions up significantly in Beckwith

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Desmond Devoy

EMC News - Oh deer.

Vehicles colliding with deer on Beckwith Township roads are an increasing problem, according to statistics released last week by the Lanark County detachment of the OPP.

The numbers show there were 57 such collisions last year, as opposed to 45 in 2010. Across Lanark County, the numbers were consistent, at 380 for 2011, compared to 386 for 2010.

"We're getting a lot more people saying they are seeing a lot more deer on the road," said Insp. Gerry Salisbury, the Lanark County OPP detachment commander.

"There's actually more deer. There seems to be more of them. They're all over the place. I just about hit three of them on the Ninth Line coming across (from his office in Perth)."

Beckwith Township Reeve Richard Kidd surmised that this could be because the increasing coyote population is keeping the deer moving around a lot more.

"They'll live right in your back yard!" joked Kidd during the Beckwith Township police services board meeting at the township offices in Blacks Corners on Jan. 18.

There have been steps made on area roads to deter deer from motorways. Along a section of Highway 7, there were special reflectors installed that were designed to scare deer away from the road.

"It's supposed to work," said Salisbury.

"I don't think it works. But I don't have any statistics."

He pointed out that the local OPP has tried whistles on its cruisers, "(but) we still hit deer."

Salisbury noted the third and fourth quarters of the year, with October and November in particular, are usually the months for most deer collisions, so the worst is likely over for the time being.

BREAK AND ENTERS

The OPP is also playing catch-up with its clearance rates for break-and-enters. For all of last year, there were nine break and enters in Beckwith Township, but only one case was cleared.

"That said, we just cleared a bunch (of break and enters)," said Salisbury. "We arrested three lads for robbery in Carleton Place, so that ties in with that."

The three men stand accused of the robbery of the Mac's Milk in Carleton Place and MacEwen's gas bar in Perth. The trio was arrested at a house on Joseph Street in Carleton Place earlier this month.

"We're doing an investigation (to see if) we can tie it all in," said Salisbury. "I think you'll see more charges."

There were also 33 thefts in the township last year, with five being cleared, for a clearance rate of about 15 per cent.

"Provincially, that's about average," said Salisbury. "People are stealing stuff out of cottages once people close up ... That's pretty standard across the board, it spikes (in the fall)."

Of the 12 drug offences in 2011 in Beckwith, 10 were cleared.

"I'm very pleased with that," said Salisbury. "That's all drug offences," from trafficking to possession.

The statistics for domestic assaults remained steady, after a spike at the end of 2010.

"I have to be careful how I say this ... (but) it's good in a sense in that we're not seeing an increase," said Salisbury. "I believe that the drug strategy networks are having an impact."