Today at the HRM Board of Police Commissioners’ monthly meeting, HRM Partners in Policing presented the 2011 year-end crime statistics. The overall crime rate has dropped over ten per cent.
Compared with 2010, property crime is down over 12 per cent, including a 23 per cent decrease in break and enters, a five per cent drop in theft over $5000, and an almost seven per cent increase in thefts of motor vehicles which had trended downward significantly from 2004-2010. Violent crime is down almost one per cent.
HRM’s overall crime rate decreased from 2005-08, held steady in 2009 and increased four per cent in 2010 before dropping ten per cent in 2011. HRM Partners in Policing are pleased that crime trended downward in 2011, however, we recognize there is still work to be done given an escalation in the level of violence. We remain committed to our crime reduction strategy, which targets those who are involved in the criminal element and places officers in close contact with the community to decrease crime and enhance community safety.
We also have a Public Safety Strategic Plan which is a holistic and long-term approach to public safety. It’s designed to address the root causes of crime and create partnerships between the various levels of government and social agencies to work collaboratively to enhance public safety in HRM. This holistic work is highlighted on the Public Safety Office website at halifax.ca/police/PublicSafety/index.html and blog at spotlightonpublicsafety.wordpress.com/.
Source: Release
