Crime up in Durham
Chief: Too early to say if new trend or just an anomaly
While crime numbers were up last year, based on preliminary numbers, many sectors remain lower than in the past. For example, while the number of assaults went up last year, hitting 2,587, it is still lower than the more than 3,000 seen on an annual basis at the start of the 2000s.
By Graeme McNaughton/The Oshawa Express
Although some of the year-end numbers are still rolling in, it appears that crime rates in Durham Region were up in 2016.
Speaking to regional council, Police Chief Paul Martin says that Durham, like many other places in the country, saw an increase in crimes last year.
“What we have experienced in Durham Region is not uncommon to what we’ve seen across Ontario and, quite frankly, across this country – for the first time in a number of years, crime trends have actually trended up, as opposed to what we’ve seen over the last eight years, where they’ve been trending down,” he said.
According to preliminary data presented in council chambers, property crime, which is the highest volume of reported crimes in Durham, went up eight per cent last year, while crimes against persons was up nine per cent.
However, Martin said that residents need not fear that crime will continue to grow, as this is one year of increases followed by years of the opposite.
“Of course it’s too early to determine whether this will be a trend or whether or not it’s just an anomaly in the consistent downward trend of crimes that we have seen over the last decade,” he said.
According to preliminary data, the crimes that saw that largest increases were assaults, which saw 2,587 incidents last year, up from the five-year average of 2,361; fraud, with 2,860 incidents and a five-year average of 2,029; and robbery, with 349 incident, up from a five-year average of 323.
Despite these increases in 2016, they remain below levels seen in years past. For example, there were 2,847 assault calls in 2009, 3,174 in 2004 and 2,686 in 1999.
However, some crimes did see a decrease, Martin added, with probation breaches down around 20 per cent, and smaller decreases in harassing phone calls, obstructing police and drug crimes.
The rates for traffic violations and mischief were in line with the five-year average.