Pubdate: Fri, 29 Aug 2008
Source: Chilliwack Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Chilliwack Times
Contact:  http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1357
Author: Paul J. Henderson

CRIME RATE DOWN IN 2007

There has been no shortage of high profile crimes in Chilliwack 
lately, but overall crime is down in the city, according to newly 
released statistics for 2007.

The crime rate in Chilliwack for 2007 was 143 (the number refers to 
the number of criminal code offences per 1,000 population). That's 
down from 151 in 2006, 174 in 2005, 166 in 2004, and 183 in 2003, the 
highest rate in the last decade.

Chilliwack RCMP attribute the drop in overall crime rates to 
integrated crime reduction strategies that focus on prolific 
offenders as well as the root causes of some crimes.

"Crime reduction isn't a police initiative," said Chilliwack RCMP 
spokesperson Const. Lea-Anne Dunlop. "It's a community initiative. A 
more holistic approach that is more focused on where it is coming from."

City Councillor Sharon Gaetz, who chairs the city's public safety 
advisory committee, said the news is good, but that doesn't mean 
there aren't problems.

"I was shocked to see that, but you couldn't have given me any better 
news for the day," she said. "But on the other hand, we do have 
serious problems and I would never be one to put our heads in the 
sand. We have a drug problem in Chilliwack. Good news is great, and I 
don't want to downplay it."

Dunlop agreed that drugs are a big problem.

"Ninety per cent of the crimes in relation to property or other 
things comes back to drugs," she said.

Another help in the crime reduction is the RCMP's focus on prolific 
criminals and when they get in and out of jail. Gaetz said that 95 
per cent of crime is committed by five per cent of the population who 
are prolific offenders, and Dunlop agreed with that estimate.

Overall a couple of high profile crimes of late have been targeted, 
and Gaetz said that is important when people have perceptions about safety.

"As a person in Chilliwack walking downtown I have no fear," she said.

The criminal offences that are down in 2007 compared to 2006 include: 
violent crimes, non-sexual assaults, property crimes, break and 
enters, motor vehicle thefts. Those that are up include: sexual 
offences, residential break and enters, thefts, thefts from motor 
vehicles, "other" crimes and vandalism.

Overall Chilliwack's crime rate of 143 compares to a provincewide 
crime rate of 104.

But Dunlop said given some small communities with very little crime 
in the mix, it is more fair to compare to cities of similar sizes.

Some similar-sized communities, populations and crime rates:

- - Chilliwack, 77,649, 143

- - Maple Ridge, 73,492, 128

- - Kamloops, 87,348, 149

- - Nanaimo, 83,768, 152

- - Prince George, 75,375, 188
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom