‘Lethbridge is a very safe city’: Officials respond to Crime Severity Index data – Lethbridge | 24CA News
After three consecutive years of Lethbridge holding the very best crime severity index in Canada amongst census metropolitan areas, new Statistics Canada information for 2022 reveals a drop to 3rd.
“Safety of our citizens is definitely our number one priority,” stated Mayor Blaine Hyggen.
The new information is an enormous win, in keeping with Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh.
“This city is becoming safer every year. Having said that, we still have a lot of work to do.”
Among census metropolitan areas from 2021 to 2022, violent crime in Lethbridge has elevated by lower than one per cent, whereas non-violent crimes dropped 13 per cent.
Overall, there was a 5 per cent lower of general crime.
“It’s typically opportunity crimes, non-violent crimes, that are driving our CSI up,” stated Medizadeh.
“One of the major crime types that we have too often in this city are break and enters, for different reasons and those score a very high number.”
He attributes psychological well being and homelessness as the highest underlying causes for nuisance crimes within the metropolis, which he stated have elevated in each the downtown and south aspect.
Out of 330 municipalities with a inhabitants of greater than 10,000, Lethbridge ranks thirty sixth, down from twenty seventh in 2021.
“As the crime and CSI is increasing across the country and in the province, we are showing a downward trend in both those categories” stated Medizadeh.
“For a guy that has lived across Canada in many communities, Lethbridge is a very safe city.”
“Any crime is too much crime,” Hyggen stated. “And until there’s no crime, we’ll continue to do what we can to provide the resources to our police service to make sure that that number has dropped.”
Among Canadian Census Metropolitan Areas, Winnipeg held the very best crime severity index in 2022. Quebec City had the bottom.
Top 5 Crime Severity Index Cities 2021 2022:
1. Winnipeg, Manitoba 114.24 136.62
2. Kelowna, British Columbia 122.8 128.02
3. Lethbridge, Alberta 129.48 118.97
4. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 105.35 113.5
5. Regina, Saskatchewan 113.06 106.93
Top 5 Lowest Crime Severity Index Cities:
2021 2022
31. Toronto, Ontario 45.43 51.87
32. Saguenay, Quebec 50 51.42
33.Sherbrooke, Quebec 51.49 51.15
34 Barrie, Ontario 45.39 47.09
35. Québec City, Quebec 42.82 46.84
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