City’s crime rate dropped 6% in 2024: Edmonton police

The Edmonton Police Service says crime is down in the city. The force released its 2024 crime stats on Monday.

Edmonton’s total crime rate dropped by more than six per cent last year, according to statistics released Monday by city police.

In its year-end crime analysis for 2024, the Edmonton Police Service said the number of police-reported crimes per 100,000 people fell to 7,494 in 2024 from 8,002 in 2023, a reduction of 6.35 per cent.

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According to an online dashboard provided by police that details its 2024 crime statistics, province numbers fell 8.54 per cent in 2024, from 8,314 in 2023 to 7,604 last year.

It says the national average is 5,966 police-reported crimes per 100,000, down from 6,195 the year before, for a 3.7-per-cent drop year over year.

In a media release, Edmonton police also highlighted a 10.4-per-cent drop in the city’s violent crime severity index, which measures the amount and severity of police-reported crime, as well as a 2.74-per-cent dip in its violent crime rate.

“These figures demonstrate encouraging results that are a direct product of targeted police work that dedicates the right resources to the right places,” Interim police Chief Warren Driechel said in the release, adding his department has “leaned heavily on high-visibility policing placements in areas like transit hubs and core communities” over the last year and a half.

Specific significant decreases in the number of police-reported crimes include:

• A 30.4-per-cent drop in total violations related to animal cruelty (135 per 100,000, down from 194/100,000 in 2023);
• 26.7-per-cent fewer weapons possession contrary to order (170 per 100,000, down from 232/100,000);
• 23.15-per-cent fewer charges for theft $5,000 or under from a motor vehicle (6,478 per 100,000, down from 8,429/100,000);
• 12.59-per-cent fewer charges for mischief (5,615 per 100,000, down from 6,424/100,000);
• 8.5-per-cent fewer charges for theft $5,000 or under (4,301 per 100,000, down from 4,702/100,000); and
• 6.3-per-cent fewer charges for breaking and entering (5,478 per 100,000, down from 5,847/100,000).

There are increases in the number of police-reported crimes in specific areas, including:

• A 153-per-cent spike in possession of opioid charges (other than heroin) (101 per 100,000);
• 116-per-cent more charges for possession of methamphetamines (crystal meth) (331 per 100,000);
• 75-per-cent more charges for possession of cocaine (123 per 100,000);
• 36.6-per-cent more charges for making or distribution of child pornography (1,486 per 100,000);
• 14.9-per-cent more charges for possession of weapons (129 per 100,000);
• 14.7-per-cent more charges for theft over $5,000 (158 per 100,000); and
• 12.1-per-cent more charges for shoplifting $5,000 or under (1,071 per 100,000).