Out of the 147 jurisdictions that Alberta RCMP oversee, 95 had a decrease in their crime severity index from 2023 to 2024
According to a Stats Canada report, there was a 6.9 per cent decrease in the Crime Severity Index (CSI) across Alberta RCMP jurisdictions in 2024 when compared to the previous year. This is the second lowest crime score since 2015.
The CSI tracks both volume and seriousness of police-reported crime. It assigns weights to different offences based on how severe they are. This means that more serious crimes carry a higher weight than less serious crimes.
Currently, there are 147 different RCMP jurisdictions measured for the CSI in Alberta, and these jurisdictions are policed by 113 RCMP detachments provincially. Of the 147 jurisdictions policed by the RCMP, 95 had a decrease in the CSI from 2023 to 2024.
Jurisdictions with small population sizes generally see higher fluctuations in their CSI score year-to-year. This is because even small changes in crime, especially if they are violent crimes, can have a significant impact on the scores.
Jurisdictions with larger populations are less likely to have large fluctuations in CSI scores. Still, the RCMP has seen significant decreases in CSI scores in many larger jurisdictions.
Wetaskiwin has a population of 13,412 and saw a 19.2 per cent decrease, Strathmore, with a population of 16,189 saw a 24.6 per cent decrease. The biggest jurisdiction that Albertan RCMP work in, is Red Deer, with a population of over 110,000. Red Deer saw a 19.7 per cent decrease in the CSI.
In Alberta, the top 10 CSI contributions account for 74.9 per cent of the crimes across the province. The number one contributor to Alberta’s CSI score is Break & Enters, which makes up 17.67 per cent of the scoring.
While Break & Enters are the highest cause of the CSI numbers in Alberta, it is down when compared to 2023. In 2024, there are 875 fewer Break & Enters being reported to the RCMP.
Of the top 10 contributors to the Albertan CSI, two were in violent crime categories: Assault and Sexual Assault. Both crimes have seen a decline over the past year, with there being 653 fewer Assaults, and 273 fewer Sexual Assaults reported across the province.
Deputy Commissioner Trevor Daroux, Commanding Officer of the Alberta RCMP says the he is "extremely pleased" to see the declining CSI scores provincially. He credits the shared efforts of RCMP officers, community members and the dedicated partner agencies of the RCMP for the downward trend.
"We’re sincerely grateful for the support we’ve received. Reducing crime isn’t the work of one group, it demands collaboration among public services, community partners, and all level of government, but these results show that when we work together, we get results," he said. "There is still a long way to go, but the Alberta RCMP remains committed to working with our partners to protect Albertans and strengthen the communities we all proudly call home.”
The Alberta RCMP said they use the information gathered through the CSI to develop "comprehensive, intelligence-led strategies" that attempt to break the cycle of crime long term. The RCMP look at people, places, and crime types prevalent in Alberta’s most vulnerable communities and target priority offenders who cause the most harm.
The Alberta RCMP say that they have taken significant steps to increase the safety and resilience of the communities they serve in, whether that be through leveraging technology or deploying community response teams throughout rural Alberta to provide outreach.
