Over the last six months, the Regina Police Service (RPS) say they’ve seen a stunning increase in the number of calls for service to the downtown area compared to the last two years.
Between January and June, the downtown experienced an overall increase of 125 per cent from 2021- 2022 and 84 per cent increase from 2022-2023.
“It is important to note that it is highly likely 2021 statistics are lower due to less activity in the area due to COVID restrictions which resulted in a reduction in the population working in the downtown area,” says an RPS statistics report.
The report shows that 1,583 calls were received in the first half of this year. There were 859 calls in 2022 and 704 in 2021.
“On average in 2021, police received four calls for service a day which increased to five calls a day in 2022,” according to the statement. “So far, in 2023, this has doubled to an average of nine calls for service a day.”
The RPS defined the city hall area between Saskatchewan Drive and Victoria Avenue, spanning Albert Street to Lorne Street, as the area where the significant increase in police calls for service has occurred.
The RPS says it has been proactive by providing increased police presence for several months in the downtown area.
“This proactive presence has increased and will continue to increase, as resources allow, in the downtown area,” RPS stated.
Since the tent encampment was established on the front lawn of the city hall grounds, RPS has been attending on a regular basis to enhance community safety.
“Daily ‘walk-throughs’ of the encampment entail communication with encampment residents, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Regina Fire and Protective Services and the City of Regina Facilities Department,” RPS stated.
In Saskatoon, 2,923 criminal violations have already been recorded downtown. In 2022, there were 5,609 total calls to the downtown area and in 2021, there were 4,711 criminal code violations downtown. The Saskatoon Police Service did not specify what their numbers of calls for service were.