For the second year in a row, North Battleford has the highest crime rate in the country for cities with a population of at least 10,000 people, according to the Satistics Canada Crime Severity Index for 2010.
"I'm disheartened. It's been a function of our reality for years," said Councillor Ron Crush as he expressed his disappointment after studying the statistics at Monday's city council meeting.
The highest CSI values were also reported in western Canada - Quesnel, B.C. and Thompson, Man.
He was quick to redirect his dismay to a position of optimism however stating, "I think we should really value this for what it is."
He pointed out a closer look at the report reveals certain areas of crime have dropped significantly since 2010 when looking at statistics for the current year in the month of June.
Total calls for service last June were 1,448 and have declined to 1,046 this year. Business break and entries showed a 47 per cent decrease and residential dropped from 16 to only four. Crimes against property as a whole went from 305 to 182.
"It's should be something to celebrate and give credit to our law enforcement," said Crush, commending the services for job well done.
MLA, Len Taylor has a different view on the statistics, approaching the Minister of Corrections asking for additional police officers for the area.
In a letter to the minister he suggests, "The local RCMP have indicated the need for additional officers. The mayor, city manager, and members of city council have indicated the need for more police officers. The community knows there are numerous matters that need addressing here, but the addition of more police officers is one of the necessary steps to ensure, ultimately, the reduction in the incidence of severe crime within our municipal boundaries."
He refers to discussions made at a committee meeting in April when they agreed there was a compelling reason for additional police officers in the area,
"Why, in these prosperous economic times when a provincial revenues are at a record high do the security and protection needs of an entire community go ignored by the very government that speaks so knowingly about those needs as they exist in North Battleford today?" Taylor asks.
Taylor urges the minister to respond quickly to address funding for additional police officers, "so that we don't have to endure more violence and damage on our way to earning the number one spot on the Statistics Canada list for yet another year."
