Lethbridge crime on the decline, according to annual Statistics Canada report
Since 2019, Lethbridge has had the highest rate of severe crime of any Canadian city but 2022 numbers released by Statistics Canada tell a new tale.
The city dropped from first to third on Statistics Canada's annual Crime Severity Index report, or CSI.
It calculates the volume and seriousness of crimes in a community.
The decline includes an eight per cent decrease in crime severity and a five per cent drop in crime rate in 2022.
"As the crime and CSI is increasing across the country and in the province, we are showing a downward trend in both those categories, which is significant," said Lethbridge Police Service Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh.
Lethbridge Police Service Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh
In 2021, the city sat at a CSI of 129.5, compared to 2022's 119.
Comparatively, the national CSI is up four per cent while Alberta's rose by two per cent.
Police and the city say the drop in numbers is due to a lot of effort and hard work on both sides.
Over the past four years, Lethbridge's CSI has dropped by almost 16 per cent.
"We still have a lot of work to do, but I'm very proud to call this community my home as we are moving toward a good direction," Mehdizadeh told media on Thursday.
"There's so much more we can do but we will continue to do what we can, advocate for the resources we need, stay in touch with our police commission and chief to make sure that the resources that they need are available," added Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen.
Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen
The report only looks at cities with a municipal police force.
That leaves out some large communities such as Red Deer and Grand Prairie, which are policed by the RCMP.
"When you include 10,000 plus, we are ranked number 36," Mehdizadeh said.
"So we just go way down because there are a lot of communities that could be 1,000 people, less than 10,000, but they are not factored in this group."
The city did see a slight rise in the number of violent crimes, increasing by 1.4 per cent.
The majority of crimes in the city are opportunity-driven but even those have begun going down.
Lethbridge dropped from first to third on Statistics Canada's annual Crime Severity Index report, or CSI.
Police note residents' continued efforts.
"I just want to thank our citizens for all of the work they're doing," said Mehdizadeh.
Mehdizadeh says the plan is to add at least 10 new officers to the force within the next year and the hope is the increased presence will help drive down the CSI even further for 2023.
To view the Statistics Canada Crime Severity Index report, you can visit their website.
Lethbridge dropped from first to third on Statistics Canada's annual Crime Severity Index report, or CSI.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as possible Rafah offensive looms
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a possible Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.