A spike in the severity of violent crimes in St. Albert is alarming and has some questioning whether police are doing enough to address the problem.
According to Statistics Canada’s Crime Severity Index (CSI), there was a 23-per-cent jump in the severity of violent crimes – including offences such as homicide, sex assault and robbery – in the city in 2017, compared to the previous year. The significant increase is due in large part to the lone homicide reported by St. Albert RCMP.
The CSI, released earlier this week, is a tool used to measure annual changes in the overall seriousness in crime, weighing offences by their incarceration rates and the average length of prison sentences handed down by the courts.
St. Albert received an index score of 42.23. Edmonton’s violent CSI, meantime, rose 4.76 per cent last year, for a score of 106.99, while the province recorded a 4.63-per-cent hike, receiving a score of 96.26.
The federal data shouldn’t come as a major surprise to St. Albert residents, given the way 2018 kicked off.
In a March presentation to city council, RCMP Insp. Pamela Robinson said the 63-member police force began 2018 with a rise in serious crimes. In January and February, St. Albert RCMP dealt with multiple major incidents including a stabbing and a drug-related robbery of a teen at a local restaurant.
And the violent criminal activity has certainly not abated this summer.
On July 29, two men – one armed with a handgun – tried to rob a south-end pub. They weren’t successful. There were no reports of injuries.
At the end of June, two masked men – one armed with a gun – made off with an undisclosed amount of money after a brazen Saturday morning robbery at the CIBC on Hebert Road. No one was hurt in the incident.
The recent daytime armed robberies have undoubtedly put some residents – those who have lived here for years and those who are recent arrivals – on edge. The news of a jump in the severity of violent crime likely won’t lessen that anxiety. What will help will be a strong indication from the top brass at the RCMP detachment and officers who patrol the streets that current strategies aimed at curbing crime – particularly violent crimes – are proving effective.
Insp. Robinson says community residents have been doing their part, noting there was a substantial boost in people reporting suspicious activity in 2017, with 691 calling police compared to 325 in 2016.
Greater communication of policing efforts is a major key to alleviating worries of St. Albertans, who have a right to walk through their neighbourhood, pay a visit to their financial institution or enjoy a cold beverage at their favourite watering hole without fearing for their safety.
Although it is encouraging to see RCMP working with members of our community, we – RCMP and citizens – must remain vigilant in our efforts to curb crime in St. Albert.
This isn't the time to stand back and be satisfied – we must push ourselves to make our city safer for everyone.
