Victoria's crime severity index highest out of all B.C. municipal police agencies in 2020: StatCan
Victoria's crime severity index (CSI) score was the highest out of all municipal police agencies in B.C. in 2020, according to newly released data from Statistics Canada.
The CSI is calculated based on the number of police calls in a community and the severity of each reported crime.
On Tuesday, Statistics Canada released its crime severity index, which placed Victoria's CSI at 168 points. It is the highest score out of B.C.'s 13 municipal police agencies and well above the provincial average score of 96.
"The newly released Statistics Canada data reflects a severity of crime in the City of Victoria that is unacceptable," said Victoria Police Chief Del Manak in a statement Tuesday.
"Our department is committed to doing everything we can to reduce Victoria’s crime severity index, and I look forward to working with our partners in the region to achieve this goal," he said.
Manak added that despite the rise on the index, he was "proud of the work of our officers who continue to respond to a number of high-priority, resource-intensive calls on a daily basis with an unwavering dedication to public safety."
July 27, 2021 (Victoria Police)
(Victoria Police)
CSI INCREASE BY CENSUS METROPOLITAN AREAS
On Tuesday, Statistics Canada also released its measurement of CSI per census metropolitan areas (CMA). Census metropolitan areas cover a broader geographic range. In Victoria's case, the Victoria CMA includes all municipalities in the Capital Regional District.
The Victoria census metropolitan area CSI was calculated at 76 points this year, just above the national average of 73.4, according to Statistics Canada.
The total marks a three per cent increase compared to 2019, and marks the fourth largest increase out of all census metropolitan areas across the country.
According to Statistics Canada, most CMAs across Canada saw a decrease in their CSI during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that was not true across the board.
The largest CSI increases per census metropolitan area were seen in three Ontario cities followed by Victoria in 2020, with a 14 per cent rise in Peterborough, a seven per cent rise in Greater Sudbury and a four per cent rise in Kingston.
CITY CSI COMPARED TO CENSUS METROPOLITAN AREA CSI
The Victoria Police Department says it believes the steep rise in the city's CSI compared to the census metropolitan area's CSI is due to a higher concentration of activity in the downtown core compared to other communities in the Capital Regional District.
The police department says it faces the brunt of the region's social disorder concerns compared to other CRD communities that are "primarily suburban municipalities."
"As the jurisdiction with the highest urban density in the region, the largest number of liquor seats, the significant majority of multi-unit residential temporary housing facilities, and being the provincial capital of B.C., Victoria is a unique, urban policing environment," said the police department.
VicPD says it continues to support amalgamation with other CRD police departments, a move that would better "unify" resources in the region, according to Victoria police.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.