However crime had decreased within the earlier three years
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Crime in Lethbridge elevated final 12 months, in response to crime statistics, however the metropolis’s police chief famous Thursday that follows three years of declining crime.
Crime violations in Lethbridge elevated by 6.7 per cent in 2023, in response to a report ready for town’s police fee assembly on Wednesday. However crime had decreased within the earlier three years, by 6.5 per cent in 2020, 3.9 per cent in 2021 and 5.3 per cent in 2022.
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“We noticed an excellent development for 3 years in a row, however that’s not essentially going to be sustainable on a regular basis,” mentioned Lethbridge police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh throughout a Thursday interview.
He added there’s no motive for Lethbridge residents to “panic” over the 2023 crime numbers.
Quite a few elements have an effect on crime charges, together with the drug and homelessness points that Lethbridge faces, mentioned Mehdizadeh.
“When there’s drug points, it’s naturally going to extend the crime, particularly in relation to particular person crime and property crime, as a result of (drug customers) must steal to help their behavior,” mentioned Lethbridge’s police chief.
Final 12 months, experiences of trafficking in Lethbridge rose by 46.9 per cent final 12 months, to 232, and experiences of possession by virtually 72.6 per cent, to 837, in response to the Lethbridge Police Service’s 2023 annual report, which was additionally introduced to the Lethbridge police fee Wednesday.
“The group desires to do these, and we actively put tasks to take these medicine off the road, however any time you try this it’s against the law kind that provides to our crime stats,” mentioned Mehdizadeh.
Midday Information Roundup
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Home violence, sexual assault violations elevated
Quite a few varieties of crimes in opposition to folks have been up in Lethbridge final 12 months.
Home violence violations elevated by 27 per cent, to 2,225 incidents, with Lethbridge police particularly having seen a rise in home violence since COVID, Mehdizadeh mentioned.
Sexual assault violations have been up final 12 months by virtually 20 per cent, to 159.
“Any sexual assault is simply too many, however the truth that persons are feeling extra snug to return report them, that’s truly an excellent factor, as a result of a minimum of we now have a greater understanding of how a few of our ladies are victimized and are extra snug to return ahead and report it,” mentioned Lethbridge’s police chief.
Assaults elevated by about 15 per cent, to 1,633 incidents, with Mehdizadeh noting most assaults will not be random incidents.
“A major majority of the assaults are inside recognized events,” he mentioned.
Majority of property crimes ‘alternative crimes’: Lethbridge police
There was one murder in Lethbridge final 12 months, down from two in 2022, and no tried murders in 2023.
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Many varieties of property crimes, together with arsons and mischief incidents, additionally elevated final 12 months, whereas shoplifting, car thefts and possession of stolen property decreased.
“Nearly all of the property crimes, we’re nonetheless seeing many alternative crimes,” akin to folks leaving their autos, residences, garages or sheds unlocked, mentioned Mehdizadeh, including Lethbridge police proceed to teach residents on methods to cut back being victimized by a majority of these crimes.
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The annual Crime Severity Index has indicated break-and-enters and frauds in Lethbridge proceed to be issues, Mehdizadeh famous. Break-and-enters elevated by 8.9 final 12 months, to 1,051 violations, and frauds by over 60 per cent, to 1,592 violations.
Fraud is among the many varieties of crimes considerably affected by a change in how Lethbridge police have reported crime statistics in its annual report, to be in line with how crime knowledge is reported to the province. Crime totals within the annual report have been calculated on the violation degree, as an alternative of the prevalence or incident degree. Every prevalence can have one to many incidents, and every incident can have as much as 4 violations, the report defined.
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“Crimes like fraud, the easiest way to deal with them is thru schooling so folks don’t present cash or get conned by (scammers) — most of them don’t even dwell on this nation,” mentioned Mehdizadeh.
Plans so as to add extra police visibility to downtown Lethbridge
However many varieties of crimes get solved by Lethbridge police, he mentioned.
“Our remedy charges are very first rate,” mentioned Mehdizadeh.
To start addressing capability and staffing challenges, the LPS employed 11 extra law enforcement officials final 12 months, in addition to 13 civilian staff. From 2024-26, Lethbridge police plan to graduate two cadet courses per 12 months to extend officer numbers.
“As we’re hiring extra, as extra assets are attending to the entrance line, we’re going to launch extra of our senior officers to the downtown unit,” mentioned Mehdizadeh, including Lethbridge police plan so as to add extra police visibility within the downtown.
Lethbridge’s downtown has been recognized as a hotspot for crime within the metropolis. Within the downtown, crime violations elevated by 10.8 per cent in 2023. In December, mischief, theft below $5,000, assault, break-and-enters, and shoplifting below $5,000 have been the highest 5 violations within the downtown.
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