File numbers from the La Ronge RCMP are showing an increase in crime in the La Ronge area. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

new data

Robberies, drug crime, sexual offenses up drastically in tri-communities

Oct 23, 2025 | 3:14 PM

Statistics from La Ronge RCMP show crime has risen by 24 per cent from 2020 to 2024.

Areas included in the data are the tri-communities (La Ronge, the village of Air Ronge, and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band), the Lac La Ronge Provincial Park, Hall Lake, Sucker River, Missinipe, and the nearby Northern Administrative District.

In 2024, La Ronge RCMP dealt with 10,086 files, compared to 8,115 in 2020.

During that time period, there was a 129 per cent increase in robbery/extortions, a 67 per cent rise in sexual offences, a 58 per cent rise in the use of, discharge or pointing of weapons, and a 33 per cent rise in assaults.

In addition, there was a 174 per cent rise in disturbing the peace, a 108 per cent rise in drug possession, a 68 per cent rise in drug trafficking, and a 63 per cent rise in arson.

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As for total reported occurrences, 40 per cent of the files dealt with occurred in La Ronge, 33 per cent in surrounding reserve land, and seven per cent in Air Ronge. For violent files, 44 per cent occurred in surrounding reserve land, 32 per cent in La Ronge and six per cent in Air Ronge.

Those numbers are part of the reason La Ronge council has flagged reducing crime as one of their number one priorities and why they enacted a strategy in September to do so.

The report from La Ronge RCMP break down files by type. (La Ronge RCMP)

“That’s still a work in progress. We are bringing different groups together and working with the RCMP and looking for solutions,” said La Ronge Mayor Joe Hordyski.

“Unfortunately, a lot of the solutions are more mid-term and long-term. Trying to do immediate things is a little bit more difficult.”

The Crime Reduction Strategy recommended strengthening or supporting societal structures through preventive activities and investments, focusing on people between the ages of 10 and 29, and recognizing the need for more housing, and further supports for mental health and addictions, youth programming and for the RCMP.

Hordyski noted while more police officers and bail reform are steps in the right direction, he added the community and the country as a whole isn’t going to arrest itself out of the current situation.

“As long as we have kids who are vulnerable to being lured in by gangs, we are going to continue to see those numbers climb,” he said.

“All of the gang stuff is drug-driven and we’re going to continue to see increases unless there’s some significant program put in place that is going to minimize the gang activity. The thing is if there wasn’t a need to serve like with the addictions out there, it wouldn’t be a lucrative business for them to be in.”

larongeNOW reached out to Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson to learn more about the band’s efforts to reduce crime, but she couldn’t be reached for comment.

Read the entire La Ronge RCMP report online here.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com