Regina residents react to spike in crime rates in the city

Residents around Regina are responding to the latest crime statistics released by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, saying they’re not surprised as violence and crime in the city has appeared to become common.

“All them shootings, it’s close by my home actually,” resident Dan Schmidthiesler said.

“It’s getting a little monotonous.”

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Others however explained they haven’t been exposed to a lot of the crime.

“Where I live, I haven’t experienced anything like that,” Dalton Burzminski replied.

“I could see, with the areas that we have, where all our low income people are, and the issues that come up with living in, I can understand why (there’s crime).”

The report released Wednesday shows Regina as third in crime rates, per capita across Canada. The trend was on a downward slope dating back to 2005, but then last year’s crime rate spiked, up six per cent.

READ MORE:Regina still has one of the highest crime rates in Canada, but numbers are trending down

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Ward 6 city councillor Wade Murray represents the North Central neighbourhood. He said the city is working to tackle crime, but it’s not an easy process.

Murray said solutions must start with the youth who are most at risk for becoming involved in criminal activity. He said programs that work with youths must also include the community and their families.

“We get those supports to develop the relationship with the family, to break that cycle. That’s the key,” he said.

Murray acknowledged there is no simple solution to driving down crime rates. However, he said citizen patrol groups like White Pony Lodge are helping.

READ MORE: Regina’s White Pony Lodge patrol streets to tackle neighbourhood violence

Coordinator Shawna Oochoo lives in North Central and has seen a lot of crime in the area. She said the high rates aren’t surprising.

“Seriously, it doesn’t surprise me that we’re still really high up there. A lot of it has to do with the poverty, there’s marginalization within the area.”

The community watchdog has just completed its first month of patrols. So far, the patrols have increased in numbers, and they haven’t encountered any crime on their walks.

“Anything like violence? No we haven’t seen that at all,” Oochoo said.

“But we do spread a lot of positivity in being out here.”

She, like others in the community said any change will take some time.

“We didn’t get this way overnight, so it’s going to take a little longer too,” she said.