WINNIPEG – The city is usually known for its high crime rate, but officers say that’s changing. The total crime rate in Winnipeg has dropped 13.4 per cent from 2012 to 2013.
Winnipeg Police held their annual police board meeting Friday morning to discuss the 2013 statistical report.
“I think it’s positive, I think it’s positive for the city of Winnipeg, I think it’s positive for the police service,” said Deputy Police Chief Dave Thorne.
Numbers of homicides, arson, robberies, assaults, break and enters, thefts, child pornography, and prostitution all dropped in 2013 when compared to the previous year.
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While those numbers are positive, Deputy Police Chief Dave Thorne says there’s still work to be done in other areas.
Sexual assaults with a weapon went up from eight incidents in 2012 to 19 in 2013, an increase of 137.5 per cent.
“We continue to have a high number of women who are sexually assaulted,” said Lorraine Parrington, Klinic sexual assault crisis program.
The number of assaults against Winnipeg police officers are also on the rise and troublesome said Thorne, “this is a disturbing trend”.
The WPS saw an increase of 15.8 per cent. Thorne said those numbers show a lack of respect for police and authority.
Drug offences are also up 4.3 per cent and attempted murder up 50 per cent from six incidents in 2012 to nine in 2013.
The police budget has gone up 8.6 percent, to $258 million, higher than any other city service. But even with the drop in total crime, the city isn’t expecting to cut the budget.
“By all means we’re not done and I don’t think we can take our foot off the gas because people still have a lot of concerns when they go downtown,” said St. James – Brooklands Councillor Scott Fielding.
Winnipeg police said overall the city is getting on the right track with a total criminal incidents dropping more than 24 per cent in the past 5 years.
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