Halton’s Crime Rate Drops 10.5% in 2009

Fewer criminal offences were committed in Halton last year compared to 2008, according to the Halton Regional Police Service’s year-end crime statistics report which will be presented at Thursday’s Police Services Board meeting.

Specifically, 1,225 fewer criminal offences occurred in Halton in 2009 (14,043) as compared to 2008 (15,268). When Regional population growth is taken into account, this represents a significant 10.5% decrease in the overall crime rate.

“When a community that is already as safe as Halton shows this kind of decline in criminal offences, it speaks volumes about how effectively everyone, including the police, the public and our community partners, are working together for public safety,” said Chief Gary Crowell, explaining that a number of factors outside of police control can influence crime rate, including demographics and socio-economics.

Crime rate is the number of offences committed per 100,000 people. Statistics Canada and police use crime rate measurements to give the most accurate comparison of criminal activity between communities with different populations, and within a single community over different time periods.

“Because Halton’s population is growing so rapidly, analyzing crime rate data gives us a true year-over-year comparison which we use to identify emerging crime trends,” explained Chief Crowell.

For instance, based on motor vehicle collision rates and community feedback, Crowell made traffic safety one of the Service’s key policing priorities when he became Chief of Police in 2006. By using a combined approach of enforcement, education and working with regional municipality road engineering departments, 2009 saw some tangible improvements in road safety in the region.

Most notably, the number of fatal collisions plummeted by 40%, from 15 in 2008 to 9 last year. Injury collision totals decreased 8.5%, and property damage collisions went down 12.5%. The number of impaired drivers arrested on local roads increased by 3.6%, from 390 to 404 and there were 448 temporary driving license suspensions issued in 2009.

“Fortunately last year fewer people were injured or killed on Halton roads, but even one serious injury accident or fatality is too many,” said Chief Crowell. “Motorists can continue to do their part by buckling up, slowing down and keeping a careful eye out for pedestrians.”

In further good news for home and business owners, Halton’s property crime rate dropped by 10.8%, with 10,502 offences committed in 2009. Crimes in this category include theft, breaking and entering, mischief, auto theft, arson, fraud and the possession of stolen goods, and accounted for nearly 75% of all crimes committed in the region last year.

Chief Crowell attributed part of the property crime rate decrease to special enforcement initiatives targeting auto theft at the AMC Theatre complex and theft from autos at local GO transit stations, as well as the culmination of Project DISH, a joint forces operation that led to the dismantling of crime groups that had been responsible for dozens of residential and commercial break and enters in the GTA.

In other categories, violent crime offences went down from 2,463 in 2008 to 2,362 in 2009, representing a 6.7% drop in the violent crime rate based on population growth.

Accounting for 16.8% of all criminal offences committed in Halton in 2009, violent crimes are incidents that involve the application or threat of force to a person, such as homicide, attempted murder and various forms of sexual and non-sexual assault including domestic violence, robbery and abduction.

Halton also saw a 12.2% decrease in the rate of “Other Crimes” committed in 2009, which encompass Criminal Code offences that are not classified as violent or property crimes such as prostitution, offensive weapons, bail violations and disturbing the peace.

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