The Queen City saw an increase of two per cent in total crime in 2019 with 24,579 reported incidents – the most out of any year from last decade.
It also keeps the trend going upwards as the total crime rate increased for a sixth straight year in Regina. The Regina Police Service says that’s nearly a 20 per cent jump from 2010 when there was 20,539 crimes compared to last year.
(Image: Regina Police Service)
Total crime includes crimes of crimes against a person, crimes against property and other Criminal Code offences. However it doesn’t include categories such as traffic and drug violations.Chief of Police Evan Bray explained how it’s impacted by a number of crime challenges in the city.
He said drugs, addictions and gang activity are the usual factors that are fueling crimes against people and property.
“This trend is not unique to us in Regina. It’s very much something that is at the forefront of news across Canada,” said Bray. “When I talk to other police services and police chiefs, they are dealing with very similar issues.”
Among the rising stats from the last decade was attempted murder crimes which saw a spike of 37 in 2019, with only 18 incidents reported in 2018.
2019 saw nine homicides and 37 attempted murder cases in the Queen City. The police service hasn’t seen numbers like that since 2016 when there were seven murders and 33 attempted murders. (Image: Regina Police Service)
When discussing firearms, Bray said there’s almost always a connection with drugs and guns in the city.
“When we go to a house and execute a search warrant and we get a large quantity of drugs, often times there’s ammunition, there are firearms and edged weapons as well,” shared Bray.
“It’s the problem we’re seeing with our community with firearms. They are much more prevalent, they’re being used more often in the commission of an offence.”
Drugs like crystal meth have become a major issue in Regina’s crime scene. In the report of crime stats from the last decade, possession of meth numbers jumped from zero incidents in 2010 to 101 in 2019. It was at its highest in 2018 with 103 reports from RPS.
In the back half of the decade between 2010 to 2019, there was a dramatic increase in the number of thefts around the city, including break and enters, theft from motor vehicle and theft of auto.
There were 12.2 per cent more incidents of theft in Regina when stacked against numbers from 2018. Identity theft and fraud reports doubled in 2019 compared to 2018.
