City and Lethbridge police respond to having country's highest Crime Severity Index
A report from Statistics Canada showed that Lethbridge has the highest Crime Severity Index (CSI) in Canada for the second year in a row.
The report came out on July 27, giving Lethbridge a score of 138.7, more than 20 points higher than Winnipeg, which occupies second spot with 116.3.
It's not the news the city was hoping for, but officials are looking for positives.
"When you look at this report, obviously we have to share the good news, which is that the crime severity index is on a downward trend as it is in many parts of the country," said Lethbridge's Chief of Police, Shahin Mehdizadeh.
"Plus, crime is actually down by about 10 per cent in Lethbridge, which is also good news."
Lethbridge Chief of Police Shahin Mehdizadeh
Lethbridge was at 142.8 on the CSI in 2019, dropping three per cent for 2020.
However, Lethbridge saw 764 drug offences in 2020, a 24 per cent increase from 2019.
The majority of Lethbridge's crime rates maintained the same from 2019 or even dropped with the overall crime rate decreasing by 10 per cent.
Chief Mehdizadeh is hopeful that this trend will continue.
"In 2021, we're actually starting to see a more significant decrease in crime trend in the city which is, again, good news for this city."
The CSI is calculated by the volume of crimes reported to police, along with their seriousness.
It also only includes cities with municipal police forces, leaving out some large communities like Red Deer and Grande Prairie, which are enforced by the RCMP.
"Constantly referring to Lethbridge as the number one crime city in Canada does us no good in terms of our reputation and it's false," said Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman.
Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman, July 28, 2021
"There are half a dozen cities in Alberta that have higher crime rates than Lethbridge," Spearman added, "but they're policed by the RCMP."
For 2020, Red Deer has a CSI of 165.6 and Grande Prairie sits at 164.9.
According to both Chief Mehdizadeh and Mayor Spearman, a big reason for Lethbridge's high rank is property crimes linked to opportunity.
Both officials say this can be fixed with a little help from the community.
"We all have to do our best to mitigate crime," said Spearman.
"We're making sure that our vehicles and our homes are as secure as they can be, that they're not just opportunities waiting for people to happen."
"I can have 1,000 police officers in this city, but if people still leave their keys in their vehicles, leave their doors open, then crime is going to happen," Mehdizadeh told CTV News.
The LPS and the city are hoping to put more officers in crime hot spots and getting more help from the citizens will help ensure Lethbridge doesn't take the top spot next year.
For more information on this years CSI, you can visit the Statistics Canada website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near a major airbase at the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.