Violent crime increases in Ottawa
Posted Jun 20, 2019 10:50:00 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The capital's crime rate has risen for the second consecutive year, but the interim police chief says the higher numbers of crimes being reported actually shows that people have faith in their police service.
The latest statistics come from the Ottawa Police Service's 2018 annual report. It says that while the number of homicides declined from their peak of 24 in 2016, to 16 in 2018, the number of shootings increased from 75 in 2017 to 78 in 2018.
The overall crime rate increased by 12 per cent in 2018, with violent crime increasing by eight per cent from the year before. This is the second year in a row that crime rates have increased.
The level of reported crime in Ottawa increased by 13 per cent, but the interim police chief says that he's encouraged by those numbers.
“Our statistics show that Ottawa residents are amongst the most likely in Canada to report crimes to police,” Interim Chief Steve Bell wrote in the report. “It means you trust us to help you when you need it most.”
The interim chief also notes that the police revisited its community policing model in 2018, and introduced new measures to tackle gun crime. He says so far in 2019, the capital has seen a 30 per cent decrease in the number of shootings, and says he believes it's because of the steps taken by police to address gun crime.
The police service says despite the recent increases, the severity and rate of crime in Ottawa remains well below results from a decade ago, and significantly below the national average.
