While Calgary’s drop in crime exceeds the statistical drop across the country, the results may be a “hiccup,” according to a local expert.
Statistics Canada released a report yesterday stating that in 2009, Calgary was the only Western city to fall below the national average in terms of police-reported crime severity.
“This is a one-year window and typically what I recommend or suggest is that we look at the stats over a period of time,” said John Winterdyk, director of the Mount Royal University Centre for Criminology and Justice Research.
“The fact that Calgary is doing as well as it is … it’s just sort of a hiccup, so to speak.”
However, police Chief Rick Hanson said the results are a due to the work done by the service.
“The results, I’m proud to say because of the men and women of the service, speak for themselves,” he said.
Winterdyk said Calgary police have made important strides, but the statistics may not show those results for some time.
“It’s good to see that we’re going in the right direction, but it’s a direction that most of Canada is going in.”
