MOOSE JAW — Total crimes against people and property continue to decline year-over-year, police data shows, although cases of aggravated assault and arson are two notable areas that have increased since last year.
The Moose Jaw Police Service provided crime statistics up to June 30 during the Board of Police Commissioners’ July 16 meeting.
The data showed that there have been 267 total crimes against people year-to-date, compared to 295 incidents last year, a drop of 9.5 per cent. Meanwhile, there have been 611 total crimes against property year-to-date, compared to 936 incidents last year, a drop of 34.7 per cent.
One notable increase in people-related crimes is aggravated assaults, with police recording four incidents this year compared to zero last year. Meanwhile, in property-related crimes, there have been three incidents of arson, compared to zero last year.
Other increases in the crime data show there have been 13 cases of threats this year compared to nine last year, a jump of 44.4 per cent; 87 incidents of provincial liquor infractions this year compared to 73 last year, a jump of 19.2 per cent; and six drug busts of other CDSA-type drugs compared to four last year, a jump of 50 per cent.
Crimes against the person
The data for crimes against the person in June 2025 versus 2024 showed:
- Homicide: 0 / 0
- Attempted murder: 0 / 2
- Assaults (sexual, common, with a weapon, aggravated, against police): 159 / 189
- Robbery: 5 / 8
Crimes against property
The data for crimes against property in June 2025 versus 2024 showed:
- Break-ins (business, residence, other): 53 / 124
- Theft of motor vehicles: 22 / 35
- Theft over $5,000: 6 / 9
- Theft under $5,000: 251 / 381
- Arson: 3 / 0
- Mischief under $5,000: 124 / 135
Other incidents
Other incidents as of June 2025 versus 2024 showed:
- Impaired driving: 27 / 45
- Failing to comply with court orders: 325 / 444
- Threats under section 810: 13 / 9
- Domestic disputes: 13 / 31
- Provincial liquor infractions: 87 / 73
- Vehicle collisions over $1,000: 121 / 155
- Summary offence tickets: 711 / 1,079
- Drugs (cocaine, cannabis, meth, other): 12 / 15
Also, the police service received 10,416 calls for service by June 30, compared to 10,029 calls in 2024, an increase of 3.9 per cent.
Acting Police Chief Rick Johns told the board that almost all the numbers were trending downward in the two main categories, which was positive, although he singled out aggravated assault and arson.
Continuing, Johns said with aggravated assault, there is no risk to the public since the people involved in those incidents knew each other. Furthermore, police have identified all the suspects and continue to investigate several of the situations.
With arson, the acting chief said one person caused two fires and one person caused one fire, while police solved all three incidents and laid charges.
Commissioner Patrick Boyle pointed out that calls for service jumped almost four per cent year over year, which he thought was “an interesting pressure” that the police service was facing.
“A lot of decreases (in most categories), but overall, still, phones are ringing, it looks like,” he added.
Johns acknowledged that service calls were growing, pointing out that while addressing criminal activity is some of the work the agency does, “there is a very large portion” that is non-criminal. This includes attending to the public’s needs, mediating issues between people and dealing with incidents before they reach a level of criminality.
Reflecting on other categories, Mayor James Murdock said it was positive that impaired driving numbers were decreasing.
The next police board meeting is Wednesday, Aug. 20.
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