Red Deer’s overall criminal activity is no longer on the rise, according to statistics released on Tuesday.
The City of Red Deer released second quarter crime statistics from the Red Deer RCMP on Tuesday morning.
The statistics show a 9.91 per cent decrease in person crime, a 4.12 per cent increase in property crime and an overall 0.08 per cent increase in crime overall in 2015 as compared to 2014.
And statistics in the second quarter of 2015 decreased by 5.97 per cent from the second quarter of 2014.
“I don’t think there are any alarming trends,” said Red Deer RCMP Insp. Scott Tod, detachment commander. “I think its a positive indicator we are relatively flat compared to last year.
“It’s been a good year for us, we’ve planned some new initiatives. Some were more work than we anticipated but they’ve been successful.”
Some of those initiatives include the priority crimes task force, which targets property crime; school programs; and traffic safety targeting high-collision intersections.
A sharp drop in person crimes, which includes robbery, sexual assault, kidnapping, and offences related to death and uttering threats, highlighted the second quarter results. They were down 14.66 per cent, dropping to 1,373 from 1,524 when comparing second quarters from this year to last.
Property crime also decreased in the second quarter of 2015, compared to the second quarter of 2014, dropping by 1.77 per cent from 3,340 to 3,281.
“Property crime is one of our priorities,” said Tod. He said the priority crime task force has been involved in breaking up three mid-level crime operations in Central Alberta over the past year. This includes arrests in Penhold, Markerville and Red Deer.
Red Deer’s population grew by more than 2,000 people between 2014 and 2015.
“This isn’t a crime rate statistic, it’s just raw data,” said Tod. “But I think it’s a good reflection of the fact the community is growing and we stayed relatively stable.”
The annual policing plan outlines five major objectives: reducing the impact of organized crime; reducing crimes against persons — Tod pointed to a 5.12 per cent drop in assaults this year compared to last; reducing property crime; contributing to safer youth; and contributing to safer roads.
“Crime prevention and community safety continues to be a priority for the city,” said Craig Curtis, city manager, in a news release.
“Through the safety charter, we will continue to invest in and set meaningful targets that will result in a Red Deer where citizens continue to feel they are safe and have a good quality of life.”
mcrawford@www.reddeeradvocate.com
