March’s crime statistics from the Moose Jaw Police Service tell two different tales, as crimes against people rose nearly 11 per cent and crimes against property fell 23 per cent compared to 2021.
There were 43 crimes committed against people last month compared to 33 in March 2021, while there have been 126 total incidents year-to-date versus 114 episodes during the same period last year, an increase of 10.5 per cent, the statistics show.
Year-to-date, crimes against people this March over last March show:
- Homicide: 1 / 0
- Attempted murder: 0 / 1
- Assaults (sexual, common, with weapons, aggravated, against police): 77 / 55
- Robbery: 4 / 0
- Threats: 20 / 13
- Domestic disputes: 24 / 45
Meanwhile, there were 80 property-related crimes committed last month compared to 118 in March 2021, while there has been a total of 250 property-related crimes year-to-date versus 325 incidents during the same period last year, a decline of 23.1 per cent, the stats show.
Year-to-date, crimes against property this March over last March show:
- Break-ins (businesses, residences, other): 49 / 83
- Motor vehicle theft: 19 / 13
- Theft over $5,000: 2 / 4
- Theft under $5,000: 136 / 140
- Arson: 3 / 4
- Mischief under $5,000: 41 / 81
No trends yet
“I always want to be very, very clear that this is comparing this period this year to the same period last year and that so many things can change. So we don’t draw a lot of conclusions from this,” Police Chief Rick Bourassa said during the April 19 Board of Police Commissioners meeting.
“(Instead), we look at the long-term trends. And then we also look for the Statistics Canada report in July that gives a broader comparison and compares different jurisdictions.”
With people-related crimes, one thing police noticed during the pandemic was the “increase in incivility” that led to those offences, he added.
The increase in vehicle thefts is hopefully a “blip” and not a trend, Bourassa told Commissioner Doug Blanc. Most vehicles are stolen in the winter because people leave their keys inside, so residents need to take their keys with them.
“Let’s be really protective of our vehicles,” the chief remarked.
Meanwhile, police have responded to 3,791 calls for service year-to-date compared to 3,495 calls during the same period last year, a jump of 8.5 per cent. This increase, Bourassa added, is because society is active again after being locked down for two years and police are responding to “traditional things” again.
Meanwhile, other crimes year-to-date versus last year show:
- Pandemic calls: 7 / 38
- Vehicle accidents over $1,000: 81 / 62
- Drugs (cocaine, cannabis, meth, other CDSA drugs): 8 / 17
Drugs, weapons, mental health
Most drug-bust data are driven by police enforcement, so these low numbers suggest officers haven’t come across as many drugs during regular operations, said Bourassa. However, talks with other law partners suggest drug use is still high.
“I wish I could say that it was dropping, but I don’t think that’s the case,” he added.
Commissioner Mary Lee Booth wondered whether the statistics reflected the increase in mental health issues that the Police and Crisis Team (PACT) units responded to during the pandemic and the recent increase in weapons found on people during arrests.
“This jurisdiction is seeing an increase in weapons and that creates a different environment in terms of the safety needs for officers and the public,” she added.
Not only has the MJPS come across more weapons during arrests, but other policing organizations across Canada are seeing similar things, said Bourassa. Besides weapons, those agencies are also finding firearms on people.
The police service is hearing anecdotal stories from its officers about finding more weapons and drugs during investigations and arrests, said Deputy Chief Rick Johns. It is becoming more common to find weapons while searching for drugs, while the inverse was true in the past.
Officers have found about 40 weapons per year during the past five years, he added. Police discovered these items during search warrant executions, vehicle stops and arrests.
The next Board of Police Commissioners meeting is Thursday, May 19.
