Violent crime lowest in 10 years in Surrey: RCMP

Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald Photo by Jay Sharma of Mahi Photo Studio

SURREY RCMP announced on Tuesday they have released the latest Surrey crime profile which details statistics on crime in the city over the past 10 years and Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, Surrey RCMP Officer in Charge, said: “The violent crime rate has been trending down over the past 10 years, and in 2018 it was the lowest it has been in the last decade.”

The 10-year crime profile is compiled by the Surrey RCMP based on the data submitted to Statistics Canada following Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) scoring rules and guidelines (for example, only the most serious offence per file is counted). The Crime Profile provides a picture of local long-term trends with respect to select crime types and overall crime categories.

These statistics are now available on the Surrey RCMP website. Here are some of the highlights for 2018:

* Overall crime (by volume) has been trending downward since 2014. Similarly, the overall crime rate has been trending down over the last decade, despite the increase experienced in 2014. In 2018, for the fourth consecutive year, crime overall (by both volume and rate) decreased from the previous year.

* The total number of Criminal Code offences in 2018 was below the 10-year average (6% lower). In fact, it is the lowest it has been in the last 10 years.

* The crime rate decreased 6% from the previous year, and 25% from 2014. The crime rate in 2018 was lower than the 10-year average (16% lower), and the lowest it has been in the last 10 years. It has decreased each year in the last decade (from the previous year), with the exception of the spike in 2014.

* Surrey’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) has been trending downward since 2009. The 2018 CSI value is down nearly 9% from the year previous and the lowest it has been in the last decade.

* The Violent Crime Severity Index has also been trending downward over the last 10 years, and despite a small upswing in 2015, reached a 10-year low in 2018. The Non Violent Crime Severity Index has also been trending downward over the last decade.

“Although our crime rate continues to decrease in Surrey, I want to acknowledge the impact that crime – particularly violent crime – has on our community. Being a victim of crime or experiencing a crime in your neighbourhood has a significant impact on how you feel and your perception of crime,” said McDonald. “Collectively, we still have work to do in improving public safety and, as your local police force, we will continue our efforts through prevention, intervention, and enforcement.”

Members of the public are encouraged to inform themselves on crime rates and trends in the city by visiting the Surrey RCMP website. Surrey RCMP also invited residents to get involved: help them keep Surrey safe by joining Block Watch.