Kelowna RCMP analysts have dug deeper into Statistics Canada numbers that show that the Central Okanagan had the second-highest Crime Severity Index (CSI) in the country in 2022.
91ƵHowever, our score has only changed 5.2 points (4.2 per cent),91Ƶ RCMP Superintendent Kara Triance explained at a news conference Friday (July 28).
The national average is 4.27 per cent, and Triance added that several communities across Canada experienced far greater increases.
91ƵIncluding Winnipeg at 20 per cent, St. John91Ƶs Newfoundland at 19 per cent, Toronto 14 per cent and Ottawa-Gatineau at 13 per cent.91Ƶ
Winnipeg also had the highest CSI nationally.
READ MORE: Kelowna area ranked 2nd in Canada for total crime
Crime statistics for the Kelowna Metropolitan Area (CMA) are drawn from Lake Country to Peachland. Triance said break and enter, fraud, theft, and shoplifting combined for 40 per cent of the 2022 CSI.
91ƵWe are tracking police-reported crime daily and using data to deploy resources and target locations,91Ƶ she said.
Triance added that her officers also continue to target repeat offenders, and have increased police visibility in communities.
The superintendent also gave updated crime stats to date for 2023.
91ƵAs of yesterday, in Kelowna91Ƶs CMA, fraud is up 54 per cent. This remains our top 2023 driver.91Ƶ
Shoplifting was up earlier in the year but has dropped by one per cent, while break and enter is down 38 per cent. Theft from vehicles has dropped 33 per cent, and theft other is down 20 per cent.
91ƵWe will not wait for the CSI to be released in 2023 to tell us what91Ƶs influencing crime in our community,91Ƶ added Triance. 91ƵWe will continue to be proactive and data-led to reduce and prevent criminality in our region.91Ƶ
Triance added there was also a 33 per cent increase in reports to the RCMP online reporting tool.
91ƵWe have a phenomenal team of intelligence analysts that use that information to make sure we are deploying in the right areas and we91Ƶve seen a lot of successes from that this year.91Ƶ
READ MORE: Theft from West Kelowna distillery has police asking for help
gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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