(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Crime

Prince Albert 3rd most violent community in Canada, according to 2019 Crime Severity Index

Oct 29, 2020 | 6:01 PM

The latest Crime Severity Index (CSI) report by Statistics Canada doesn’t shine the brightest light on Prince Albert.

The city ranks sixth in the country for its overall crime rate (279.58) and reflects an increase of nearly 17 per cent from 2018 to 2019. In comparison to other cities in Saskatchewan, Prince Albert scored higher than Saskatoon, and Regina remained lower than North Battleford. However, the Prince Albert Police Service said the data does not take into account the total population influx from the surrounding region which is around five times higher than the official total.

The annual rankings use police-reported data to compare the severity of crime and violent crime in roughly 300 communities with populations over 10,000. The comparison is based on the ratio of crime versus the core population for a community, as opposed to the totality of crime in communities. Speaking with the media Thursday afternoon, Police Chief Jon Bergen acknowledged the data is over a year old but added it’s still relevant.

“So we can learn, adapt and adjust when necessary to ensure we are using our resources in the most responsible way,'” he said.

When looking specifically at the violent crime rate index, which reflects assaults, robberies and homicides, Prince Albert ranked third in the country behind Thompson, MB and North Battleford, Sask. The rate increased by 32 per cent from 2018 and includes six homicides.

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“This is six too many and we recognize that any increase in violence creates fear,” Bergen said, adding charges have been laid in each of those investigations.

Police Chief Jon Bergen held a ZOOM conference with the media on Thursday. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

The report from Statistics Canada was not all negative. In terms of its non-violent crime rate (break and enters, shoplifting etc.), Prince Albert slipped from seventh to ninth place. Bergen acknowledged the work that’s been done by the crime reduction team.

“We know that community safety cannot be achieved with just police and crime enforcement and we are also focused on early intervention and prevention,” he said.

A closer look at the City’s statistics for the last decade shows that while violent crime continues to trend upward, overall crime in Prince Albert has decreased over the last two years. The statistics show overall crime continues to be at its lowest in nearly 10 years. (Prince Albert Police Service)

Numbers don’t reflect actual population

The 2019 CSI statistics are based on a core population of 37,000 Prince Albert residents, rather than the actual number of calls for service. Figures from the City of Prince Albert show the retail population of the local community – or the number of people who come to the city for appointments, shopping and entertainment each day – is actually around 190,000 people.

“As we are all aware our officers are responding to about 36,000 calls a year and a high number of people we meet don’t even live in Prince Albert. We observed about 30 per cent of the individuals arrested charged are from outside our community,” he said.

Bergen added the police service serves a high number of people who are from rural areas or are transient and use the services of the city daily.

Sheryl Kimbley, Chair of the Prince Albert Board of Police Commissioners thanked Bergen and the police officers who have been putting their lives on the line daily to protect community.

“You know we could have 100 cops out there on the street and if we dont start looking at the root causes of all the crime and the things that are happening, the homelessness and the drugs and the gangs and , how did they get there, then it’s not going to go away,” she said. “The crime doesn’t stop just because we put more men on the street or we cut the budget and put money elsewhere.”

The National picture

Police-reported crime in Canada increased five per cent in the year prior to the pandemic—from 75.6 in 2018 to 79.5 in 2019. This is the fifth consecutive annual increase in the CSI.

Nevertheless, the 2019 index remained nine per cent lower than a decade earlier.

Homicide rate for Indigenous peoples six and a half times higher than for non-Indigenous people

Police in Canada reported 174 Indigenous homicide victims in 2019, 33 more than in 2018.

Almost two-thirds of the victims identified as Indigenous were First Nation (63 per cent), while three per cent were Métis and 11 per cent were Inuk (Inuit). The Indigenous group was not identified for 22 per cent of all Indigenous homicide victims.

There were five fewer female Indigenous homicide victims in 2019 (40) than a year earlier, and 20 more male Indigenous homicide victims (from 96 to 116).

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell