Crime was down in Lethbridge last year.
That is according to the Lethbridge Police Service. The LPS says crime in the city dropped by 16 per cent in 2024. This led to an 18 per cent drop in Lethbridge’s Crime Severity Index.
Officials note the reduction is consistent with an overall downward trend seen over the last five years. The LPS says crime peaked in 2019, with 16,969 criminal violations. However, that figure has gone down every year since, to 12,939 incidents in 2024.
The information was presented during the monthly meeting of the Lethbridge Police Commission on Wednesday, February 26.
BREAKDOWN
Police say that overall person crime dropped 11 per cent last year, with overall property crime seeing a reduction of 24 per cent compared to 2023.
The LPS divides the city into four patrol zones. They are downtown, the north, the south, and the west. Officials say crime reductions were recorded in all those areas.
The west zone saw the most significant drop in crime violations at 25 per cent. That was followed by downtown (17 per cent), the south (15 per cent) and the north (19 per cent).
“I am extremely proud of the work our officers and civilians are doing every day to contribute to a safe community for all,” says LPS Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh.
“Over the past five years, crime in the city has been trending down and the significant decrease in 2024 further highlights that positive trajectory.”
Mehdizadeh took charge of the LPS in 2020.
COMMUNITY PERCEPTION
Police say the drop in crime has helped improve the perception of safety in the region. A survey conducted last year saw 70 per cent of respondents report that they feel safe in the community, a five per cent jump from 2023.
READ MORE: Community survey shows overall satisfaction with Lethbridge Police Service
Mehdizadeh says this is encouraging, but LPS is aware of ongoing challenges impacting the community and will stay vigilant in both proactive and targeted enforcement efforts to tackle crime and social issues.
COMP STAT & ENFORCEMENT PROJECTS
LPS adds one of the big factors in the drop in crime is the organization’s use of Comp Stat, which is a data driven model that uses analytics to identify high-crime areas, prolific offenders and decide on the best way to use police resources.
Additionally, thousands of drugs were seized, and hundreds of arrests were made as part of different enforcement projects last year, with many concentrated in the downtown.
READ MORE: More than 300 people arrested during LPS downtown enforcement project in 2024
Police are also thanking residents for their help, including reporting suspicious activity and taking measures to protect their property.
“Opportunistic property crimes including break-ins, thefts from vehicle and vehicle thefts, have decreased significantly, and I believe the steps people are taking to lock their doors, remove valuables from vehicles and decrease the opportunities for criminals is having a great impact,” says Mehdizadeh.
Below are some of the additional statistics from the LPS:
- In 2024, break and enters decreased 35 per cent, with a drop from 1,049 incidents in 2023 to 679 last year;
- Mischief incidents dropped 24 per cent from 1,612 to 1,231;
- Theft from motor vehicles went down 35 per cent, from 1,283 to 835;
- Theft of motor vehicles decreased 25 per cent from 376 to 282 incidents;
- Assault reports saw a 12 per cent drop, from 1,625 incidents in 2023 to 1,434;
- Sexual assault cases dropped 38 per cent, from 170 incidents to 106; and
- Robberies decreased 15 per cent, from 72 cases in 2023 to 61 in 2024
Significant reductions were also recorded in person crimes in 2024.
- Assault decreased 12 per cent – a reduction from 1,625 incidents in 2023 to 1,434 in 2024
- Sexual assault dropped 38 per cent from 170 incidents to 106
- Robbery decreased 15 per cent from 72 incidents to 61 incidents.
READ MORE: Chief Mehdizadeh looking forward to continuing positive successes for LPS in 2025
READ MORE: Police chief says recent Fraser Institute report ‘not the story today’
