The number of crimes committed against people this year has jumped over 11 per cent year-over-year, with robberies and threats seeing triple-digit percentage increases.
There were 335 offences committed against the person between January and May, an increase from 301 incidents — or 11.3 per cent — during the same period last year, recent statistics show.
Year-to-date (YTD), there have been six reported robberies compared to one incident — an increase of 500 per cent — during the same time last year.
The Moose Jaw Police Service has noticed a consistent increase in these reports during the past year and will track that data to determine its regularity but won’t compare it to the previous two years because they “were a little bit unusual,” Police Chief Rick Bourassa said during the June 8 Board of Police Commissioners meeting.
While the numerical increase in robberies is small — plus five — such events are significant for people, he added, before asking Supt. Taylor Mickleborough to comment.
The police service has solved all six robberies that it has investigated this year, Mickleborough said. Officers solved four robberies quickly after arriving on the scene at those events, while two robberies were given to the criminal investigation section since they needed further research.
Those two robberies were eventually solved.
“The robberies don’t appear to be related (or it) doesn’t appear to be the same group of people or same person that’s robbing multiple individuals. They all appear to be unrelated,” he added. “(Instead,) the majority of them appear to … be stemming from the drug trade — or drugs are a factor in the robbery.”
The May statistics show 39 threats were committed against people YTD versus 19 incidents — an increase of 105.3 per cent — during the same period last year.
“A lot of that is online … . Again, we’re seeing what seems to be a trend — not just here, but a trend all over — about less and less civility in our culture,” said Bourassa. “And that seems to be shining through in these (people crimes) categories.”
Crimes against people
Data from January to May for 2022 versus 2021 show:
- Homicide: 1 / 0
- Attempted murder: 0 / 2
- Assaults (sexual, common, with a weapon/cause bodily harm, aggravated, against police): 125 / 100
- Domestic dispute: 39 / 80
Crimes against property
Data from January to May for 2022 versus 2021 show:
- Break-ins (business, residence, other): 95 / 119
- Motor vehicle theft: 26 / 24
- Theft over $5,000: 8 / 7
- Theft under $5,000: 281 / 229
- Arson: 5 / 6
- Mischief over $5,000: 125 / 124
- Totals: 635 / 628, or 1.1 per cent increase
Other crimes and offences
Data from January to May for 2022 versus 2021 show:
- Impaired driving: 56 / 52
- Failing to comply with a court order: 362 / 302
- Pandemic responses: 6 / 53
- Vehicle collisions over $1,000: 116 / 82
- Provincial liquor infractions: 53 / 68
Drugs
Data from January to May for 2022 versus 2021 show:
- Cocaine: 3 / 4
- Marijuana: 4 / 7
- Crystal meth: 3 / 7
- Other CDSA drugs: 3 / 9
- Total: 13 / 27
Total calls for service YTD are 7,173 compared to 5,994 YTD last year, an increase of 19.7 per cent.
The decline in other CDSA drug offences does not mean there are fewer of them, only that officers are laying fewer charges since this area is enforcement-driven, said Bourassa. Sometimes the number might jump because police have finished a project and have data to report.
Meanwhile, discussions have occurred among police chiefs about the decriminalization of small amounts of hard drugs, he continued. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police only supports decriminalization if social networks — such as health care — are in place to help people avoid those situations.
“It’s a complex issue. I think generally there is support for moving it out of punitive and more into a restorative area,” Bourassa added.
The next Board of Police Commissioners meeting is Thursday, July 14.
