Report says some crime categories decreased in Regina last year

Regina saw a decline in several crime categories for 2022 from 2021, with the total crime severity index remaining the same at five, according to new statistics.

On Thursday, Statistics Canada released police-reported crime statistics in Canada for 2022 as part of its annual comparison of police-reported crime data.

In Canada, the severity of crime increased nationally, but Regina has seen decreases in some areas.

Regina Police Service Deputy Chief Lorilee Davies said historically, Regina has led the country in terms of crime severity and property crimes.

“This year, we are about fifth, so clearly there is still work to do … but we are making some small inroads compared to some of the other jurisdictions in Canada,” she said.

While Regina’s year-over-year overall crime rate dropped slightly, the property crime rate increased six per cent from 2021 to 2022, placing it seventh among 35 metropolitan areas in 2022.

From 2022 to 2021, violent crime crate decreased eight per cent, drug offences decreased 51 per cent, the robbery rate decreased four per cent, break-ins and entering increased four per cent, and motor vehicle theft decreased nine per cent.

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The introduction of Combined Traffic Safety Services has also resulted in fewer fatal accidents on highways, both inside and outside of cities.

The sexual assault rate saw an uptick of one per cent.

There was an average of 7,543 reported crimes in Regina in both 2022 and 2021 per 100,000 people.

“We have seen in our community firearms and drugs, those are things that are complex, we need to ensure that we have good working relationships with our enforcement partners but also with our community partners as well, so we can stop that cycle,” said Davies.

Over 10 years from 2012 to 2022, Regina’s property crime rate declined nine per cent, violent crime decreased 13 per cent, and total crime decreased 15 per cent.