Crime severity in Owen Sound fell last year.
Statistics Canada is out with new Crime Severity Index (CSI) data for 2021 and Owen Sound’s overall rating decreased to 100.5. That ranks No. 58 among 326 communities across Canada with populations of 10,000 people or more.
Owen Sound’s crime severity rate was eighth-highest among Ontario municipalities last year.
The crime severity data for the Scenic City is an improvement over 2020, especially in terms of violent crimes. Two years ago, the city had the 36th highest violent crime severity rate in Canada (137.1) and fourth-highest in Ontario.
In 2021, Owen Sound fell to 54th in terms of violent crime severity nationwide (128.5) — ninth highest in Ontario. The city’s non-violent CSI also fell slightly in 2021 to 90.3 (65th nationwide).
Owen Sound Police Chief Craig Ambrose says the violent crime severity rate in Owen Sound could have been quite a bit lower in 2021, but the city had one homicide last year which had a significant impact on the statistic.
According to Statistics Canada, the crime severity index is calculated by giving a numerical weight to all crimes reported to police based on court data, maximum sentences and actual sentences.
Every single violation contributes to the overall CSI value for a community. The severity weights are updated every five years to reflect any changes to sentencing or the Criminal Code of Canada.
Ambrose says most offence types “decreased across the board” in Owen Sound last year.
Overall assaults were down by nearly 17.5 per cent. Assaults with a weapon and bodily harm fell by 27.5 per cent. There were 29 reported sexual assault incidents in 2021, a 39 per cent decrease from the year prior.
The city’s police chief cautions, however, while the reported amount of sexual assaults fell, the occurrences that are brought to police don’t necessarily provide the full picture of the extent of these incidents.
“Obviously, this is one measurement of looking at the overall picture. But, certainly, do I think that was the total number of incidents that took place in the community? No. There are still a number of people who are hesitant to come forward and report things and we encourage people to do that,” Ambrose says. “And we’re looking at other options working with partners in the community who are involved in sexual assaults treatment and counselling to look at third-party type of reporting so we have a better idea of what’s going on in the community.”
There were less non-violent crime occurrences as well in Owen Sound last year. Ambrose says criminal harassment fell by 17.3 per cent, break and enters were down almost 28 per cent, mischiefs and weapons and offences decreased by around 13 per cent, and thefts remained “pretty steady, but were down slightly”.
He points to proactive work by the police service’s community oriented response unit (CORE) as one of the reasons the city’s crime severity rates fell last year. Ambrose also credits the expanded role of the Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Response Team, a new partnership the Owen Sound Police Service and CMHA Grey Bruce struck to provide mobile crisis support to first responders.
“That’s had a significant impact on a number of calls for service that we’ve had and the number of charges laid. And just being more proactive as opposed to reactive in answering those calls … and the ability to deal with issues before they become a crisis,” Ambrose explains. “And the same way with our CORE officers, working with marginalized communities and working with individuals and being able to avoid crisis and knowing how to help them before the call to police. It’s the proactive side and the investment upstream that avoids the charges and criminal incidents downstream.”
While Ambrose describes the improved crime severity in Owen Sound as positive news for the community, he says police are not going to “sit still, and rest on our laurels” and say “we’ve done a great job.”
The city’s police chief acknowledges there is lots of opportunity to continue to improve public safety in the Scenic City.
“When we reimplemented the CORE team last year and asked for proactive resources this was the anticipated outcome,” Ambrose adds. “With the success of our recent grant proposal through the Ministry the Solicitor General we are looking to continue to proactively avoid criminal incidents.”
Regional Grey Bruce Crime Severity Index Data For 2021
Saugeen Shores – 60.9 (156th) – violent CSI: 66.7 (172nd) – non-violent CSI :58.7 (148th)
South Bruce (Kincardine) – 43.9 (223rd) – violent CSI: 32.9 (290th) – non-violent CSI: 47.8 (182nd)
South Bruce (Brockton) – 58.9 (162nd) – violent CSI: 78.8 (137th) – non-violent CSI: 51.5 (174th)
West Grey – 43.1 (227th) – violent CSI: 51.1 (228th) – non-violent CSI: 40.2 (223rd)
Grey Bruce (Meaford) – 41.2 (237th) – violent CSI: 57.1 (206th) – non-violent CSI: 35.3 (249th)
Grey Bruce (Grey Highlands) – 40.3 (245th) – violent CSI: 52.5 (221st) – non-violent CSI: 35.8 (242nd)
Grey Bruce (Georgian Bluffs) – 31.7 (286th) – violent CSI: 26.2 (305th) – non-violent CSI: 33.6 (261st)