The Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) has responded to nearly 20-per-cent more calls for service in 2022 over 2021, a trend that the police chief says has been consistent throughout this year.
The police service presented the August statistics during the Board of Police Commissioners’ September meeting. That data included information about crimes against people, crimes against property, other Criminal Code violations, other crimes, and calls for service.
“We track this (data) very diligently and we also look at the annual national comparisons … ,” Chief Rick Bourassa said.
Crimes against people
Crimes against the person declined by 2.8 per cent between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, which is good considering police were noticing an increase earlier in the year, the police chief said. The police service investigates these occurrences and reviews them when they arise.
Year-to-date data for 2022 versus 2021 show:
- Homicide: 1 / 0
- Attempted murder: 1 / 2
- Assaults (sexual, common, with a weapon, aggravated, against police): 219 / 197
- Robbery: 6 / 2
- Threats under section 810: 55 / 33
- Domestic dispute: 63 / 121
- Total: 345 / 355
Crimes against property
There has been a significant increase in crimes against property this year — particularly break-ins and thefts under $5,000 — but it eased up slightly based on August’s statistics, Bourassa said. Police have diligently investigated break-ins and laid many charges this year.
The police have produced significant results during their investigations into crimes against property, the chief added. While Bourassa couldn’t speak to those results now, he would bring that data to the October meeting.
Year-to-date data for 2022 versus 2021 show:
- Break-ins (business, residence, other): 195 / 216
- Motor vehicle theft: 40 / 42
- Theft over $5,000: 12 / 10
- Theft under $5,000: 555 / 476
- Arson: 7 / 9
- Mischief under $5,000: 253 / 256
- Total: 1,062 / 1,009
Meanwhile, the data shows police have responded to 12,574 calls for service this year, an increase from 10,536 calls — or 19.3 per cent — over last year.
“This has been pretty significant throughout the year, so we expect this to continue,” said Bourassa. “… again, we anticipated some of this with the stressors of the pandemic and we all across the country had decreases in calls. Now we’re seeing an increase from where we were.”
Board comments
Commissioner Mary Lee Booth was curious about the increase in calls for service, which she thought “certainly signifies something.” She wondered if 911 calls were included in that overall information.
Calls to 911 are included, while any call with substance also shows up in the report, Bourassa said. If the police receive a call and transfer it to the fire department or ambulance services, those calls are also part of the overall data.
“The vast majority show up in here once we enter it into our system as a police response,” he continued, adding data is also recorded if officers respond to any emergency involving other emergency services.
Moose Jaw has been consistent with its per capita crime rate compared to other national jurisdictions, while provincially, its crime rate is near the top of a six-city list, Bourassa said told Commissioner Doug Blanc. The agency tracks that provincial data — including violent and non-violent crime — and will present the information in October.
“It’s an ebb and flow, but we’re certainly not out of the range of the others,” he added. “We’re all in a fairly narrow band.”
Other crimes
Other crimes year-to-date for 2022 versus 2021 show:
- Impaired driving: 80 / 86
- Failing to comply with court orders: 650 / 520
- Vehicle collisions over $1,000: 185 / 135
- Provincial liquor infractions: 103 / 124
- Summary offence tickets: 968 / 1,251
- Drugs (cocaine, cannabis, meth, other): 25 / 50
The next Board of Police Commissioners meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 19.
