Overall crime in Regina rose 8% in 2023, police say

Crime in Regina was on the rise in 2023 – with police reporting an eight per cent jump in total offences when compared to 2022.

Regina’s 2023 crime statistics were covered during Tuesday’s board of police commissioners meeting.

Overall, 20,581 crimes were committed in 2023 – up from 19,026 in 2022. When compared to the past nine years, overall crime has risen by 18 per cent.

In that same period, the greatest number of criminal offences recorded in Regina occurred in 2019 – with 24,650.

Crimes against people, which include offences like murder, assault, and robbery, continue to be on an upward trend rising 19 per cent.

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Throughout 2023, there were a total of 10 homicides and 23 attempted murders. There were also 187 reported sexual assaults, reflecting a 13 per cent decrease from the previous year but a 40 per cent increase compared to statistics from a decade ago in 2014.

According to RPS, there were a total of 1,210 calls for service in the city in 2023, which is a slight decrease compared to the 1,361 calls in 2022.

Robberies crept up 31 per cent from 2022, which put them up 52 per cent compared to 2014.

Regina Police Service (RPS) Chief Farooq Sheikh explained several factors which might be contributing to increasing criminal activity.

He cited the growing issue of addictions in the city as one of them.

“Its trying to understand all the root causes of the problem and start to evaluate some of the suspects or offenders that we arrest to understand what’s the root cause,” Sheikh explained.

“If the root cause is predominantly drug related, then I want to continue a proactive style of policing to take care of drug traffickers and the people who are actually suppling the drugs.”

RPS was also sure to note that Regina’s largest fentanyl seizure took place in the New Year – when police seized over nine kilograms, with an estimated street value of over $3 million.