The overall severity of crime in Delta was up slightly last year, according to data released this week.
On Aug. 2, Statistics Canada released the 2021 Crime Severity Index (CSI) data for all jurisdictions throughout Canada.
The CSI is a national measure of police-reported crime. Unlike the traditional crime rate, which only counts the number of crimes in a jurisdiction, the CSI is a comprehensive measure that also takes into account the seriousness of crime — a higher score indicates a greater number and/or greater severity of crimes, and a low CSI number generally indicates that a community is relatively safe. Index scores are compared to a baseline of 100, which is calculated using historical data.
Delta’s overall CSI rate in 2021 was 57.62, up 1.05 per cent from 2020. Violent crime severity was 50.12, an 8.5 per cent increase over 2020, while non-violent crime severity fell one per cent to 60.18.
RELATED: Crime down overall in Delta last year (Feb. 17, 2022)
Delta once again had the third lowest overall score among Greater Vancouver/Lower Mainland areas policed by municipal departments, and the sixth lowest in the region overall behind Port Moody (37.84), North Vancouver District (38.09), West Vancouver (50.31), Pitt Meadows (53.03) and Coquitlam (57.50).
Langley City had the highest CSI score in the region with 199.44, followed by Hope (191.02), Chilliwack (132.59), and Richmond (106.86). For comparison, Vancouver had a score of 90.11, New Westminster 88.04, Surrey 85.98, White Rock 83.77, and Langley Township 78.02.
Delta’s CSI score was 38 per cent below the provincial average (92.86), and 22 per cent below the national rate (73.68). The provincial average was down compared to 2020, when the CSI was 95.71, while the national average was up from 73.44 in 2020.
READ MORE: Hate crimes across Canada increased 27% in 2021: Stats Canada
SEE ALSO: Record number of sexual assaults reported to police in B.C. in 2021
Chief Constable Neil Dubord said he is proud of the DPD’s dedicated and passionate team for ensuring that Delta’s CSI remains one of the lowest locally, provincially and nationally.
“Our team works 24-7 to ensure that our community is one of the safest to live, play, visit and work in B.C., with a CSI that is lower than the provincial average. I am fortunate to have the front-row seat to witness the commitment and dedication of our team,” Dubord said in a press release.
“I know that our team members attend every call and carry out every investigation with the purpose to ensure community safety and well-being in accordance with our community safety and well-being plan. It is because of their ongoing efforts that we were able to maintain a low CSI.”
LAST YEAR’S CSI STATS: Crime severity in Delta last year down from 2019 (July 30, 2021)
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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