Residents may think that crime is rampant and out of control, but new data suggests the community is safer now than it was 20 years ago.
The Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) and Board of Police Commissioners held a news conference on July 29 to discuss
The data show that in 2003, Moose Jaw’s overall CSI rating was 152, its violent CSI rating was 103 and its non-violent CSI rating was 171.
In comparison, in 2022, those numbers were, respectively, 117, 104 and 123.
“So over the past 20 years, public safety has increased, and the crime severity has decreased in our community, (so) that is heartening news,” police Chief Rick Bourassa said. “Until those numbers come to zero — which is really aspirational — we won’t be satisfied, but we are pleased to see that the numbers are down from what they were.
“So if we just look at these data, what we can say is Moose Jaw is a safer city than it was 20 years ago … ,” he added. “Even just something as a more visible presence (in the community has helped).”
The chief also presented other data showing the 2023 CSI ratings for six major Saskatchewan cities and the province as a whole.
Weyburn’s CSI rating was 83, Estevan’s was 115, Moose Jaw’s was 117, Regina’s was 117, Saskatoon’s was 131 and Prince Albert’s was 334; Saskatchewan’s overall rating was 160.
Moose Jaw’s rating last year was a decline from its 2022 figure of 120.98 or a 3.55-percentage-point drop.
Meanwhile, the violent — people-related — CSI ratings for those six cities were 71 for Weyburn, 104 for Moose Jaw, 150 for Regina, 157 for Saskatoon, 164 for Estevan and 496 for Prince Albert; Saskatchewan’s rating was 201.
Moose Jaw’s rating last year was an increase from its 2022 figure of 101.94 or a 1.2-percentage-point increase.
Furthermore, the non-violent — property-related — ratings for those six cities were 88.6 for Weyburn, 97.1 for Estevan, 105.22 for Regina, 121.84 for Saskatoon, 122.82 for Moose Jaw and 271.9 for Prince Albert; Saskatchewan’s rating was 145.04.
Moose Jaw’s rating last year was a decrease from its 2022 rating of 129.61 or a 5.05-percentage-point decline.
Also, the weighted clearance rates — which assess how well police services solve violent crimes — for the six cities last year were 74 for Moose Jaw, 62 for Regina, 61 for Weyburn, 57 for Estevan, 44 for Saskatoon and 43 for Prince Albert; Saskatchewan’s rating was 54.
“… our police service — our members — are doing an exceptional (and phenomenal) job of solving those crimes and holding those people accountable who committed them,” Bourassa said.
Statistics Canada’s data is based on police-reported crimes and what’s reported to police, and according to a recent community survey, “the vast majority” of residents report crimes, the chief continued. The small minority who don’t report crimes say they didn’t call because the incident was minor.
There has been a “steady, steady increase” in calls for service since 2019, with the organization receiving 15,626 calls that year and 19,813 last year, Bourassa remarked. Roughly 25 per cent of calls are about crime, while about 75 per cent are non-crime-related; stress from the pandemic has been the biggest contributor.
“So we very clearly are responding to just about everything people call us about so we can problem-solve and keep things from developing into something far (more) serious than they already were,” the chief stated.
The MJPS developed Police and Crisis Team (PACT) units to support people facing mental health crises, while it has been working with Social Services staff to address family abuse, he said.
To address “the really problematic” issues of internet child exploitation (ICE) and child pornography, the MJPS launched a unit because it saw that those issues were a concern here, the chief continued. That unit has generated tons of data that has helped the organization find and charge the people responsible for those crimes.
Furthermore, the MJPS has increased its investigative capacity to address gun and drug problems and hold those people accountable.
“We’re happy to help people, and we encourage people (to) call us … if you need us (or) you’re seeing things that shouldn’t be happening,” Bourassa added.
