WEYBURN – Crime in Weyburn dropped sharply in 2024, with the city’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) falling by nearly 25 per cent, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.
The CSI, a measure used to track both the volume and seriousness of police-reported crime, showed Weyburn’s overall score declined from 88.06 in 2023 to 66.08 in 2024. The most dramatic decrease was in violent crime, which fell by 45.75 per cent, from 83.15 to 45.11
Weyburn Police Service (WPS) Deputy Chief Shane St. John credited the decline to a combination of targeted enforcement, proactive community policing, and increased engagement between police and the public.
“A drop in crime can be attributed to a number of factors, including more targeted patrols by members and increased community engagement, such as reporting suspicious behaviour,” he said. “Higher employment rates and the incarceration of major offenders can also contribute significantly to the decline.”
Cracking down on repeat offenders
Targeting repeat offenders is key, said St. John. If they are on conditions, officers conduct regular checks to ensure compliance.
“This not only holds them accountable but also reinforces that they are being closely monitored.”
While violent crime saw the steepest decline, non-violent crime also dropped, though to a lesser degree. The non-violent CSI fell from 90.77 to 75.03, a 17.34 per cent decrease. Property crime remains a concern, and Weyburn police is using both traditional methods and new technologies to combat it.
“A further way to reduce property crime is through the use of technology. For example, deploying our drone and surveillance cameras,” said St. John. “Another method is Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), which involves working with property owners to improve lighting and sight ines, trim shrubs around buildings, or add additional cameras. Using media and social media to inform the public of ongoing risks and encouraging businesses and the public to report any thefts or suspicious behaviour is also effective.”
Despite positive trends, the Weyburn Police Service continues to monitor emerging threats.
“We are always monitoring any new trends but nothing out of the ordinary as of right now.”
St. John said that while the drop in crime is encouraging, some challenges persist.
Ongoing challenges: Drugs, mental health, and staffing
“Of course, we still have a drug problem in the community, just like every other city in the province, as well as an upward trend in mental health calls, which are directly tied to addictions. That is not tracked in the CSI index, but by working with other community partners and police agencies, we are all striving to mitigate that impact on our communities.”
Staffing remains an ongoing priority for the police service.
“We are still working on getting our staffing levels up which should even help drive these numbers lower in the future as well as new technologies like having the drone assisting patrol members.”
To address the root causes of crime, St. John said WPS continues to work in collaboration with community organizations.
“We have always had a close relationship with Social Services, Probations, Envision, etc. There's nothing new in that regard, but it’s definitely one of the key factors that contributes to our success. “
Community partnership key to success
The department does gauge public sentiment through occasional surveys, and St. John hopes residents feel safer in light of the declining crime rates.
“I would hope the public feels safe at all times. We will conduct surveys from time to time to gather feedback on how the public feels about the police service and their sense of safety in the community.”
Looking ahead, St. John said policy changes such as bail reform and increasing funding for mental health and addictions services are crucial to maintaining the momentum.
“I believe a step in the right direction from the province is the increased funding for addictions and mental health services, as well as support for bail reform targeting violent repeat offenders.”
St. John said it’s important to have WPS members visible in the community and continue to build stronger relationships with their community partners and the public.
“We cannot be successful in what we do without the support of the citizens. Our police service members also care deeply about the community and work very hard to keep Weyburn a safe place to live and raise a family.”
As for what residents can do, St. John’s message was simple.
“The community just needs to continue doing what they do best, working with us to keep our community safe for everyone. We wouldn’t be successful without their support.”
