Statistics Canada has released national crime statistics for last year, and in the Quinte region, the stats look good.
In Belleville, the Crime Severity Index was 75, down slightly from 2015, but the Violent Crime Severity Index was down 20 % to 74
Across the country, the Crime Severity Index is 71, up 1% from 2015. The cities with the most serious crime problems are out west with Regina
and Saskatoon topping the list of metropolitan areas with Crime Severity Indexes of 126 and 118 respectively.
Thunder Bay had the highest homicide rate in the country. There were 8 murders in Thunder Bay last year.
Ontario’s Crime Severity Index was up 4%, while seven provinces or territories saw lower amounts of crime.
The number of violent crimes in Belleville last year totaled 763, down from 833 in 2015, and way down from 1,147 incidents in 2012.
City police dealt with 42 sexual assault cases last year, down from 60 the previous year.
However, the number of break and enter offenses is up considerably in Belleville, to 229 from 167 in 2015. On a positive note, 2015’s total
was a very low number of B & Es compared to other years.
Around the area, OPP policing in the Brighton area had a Violent Crime Severity Index of 21. The Violent Crime Severity Index was up 14%
from 2015, but that was year was unusually quiet compared to recent years.
In Prince Edward County, the Crime Severity Index was 43, down 9%, while the Violent Crime Severity Index was 35, down 20 % from 2015.
In Quinte West, the overall Crime Severity Index was 39, down 14%, while the Violent Crime Severity Index was 51, down 33%.
Much more information on police reported crime statistics can be seen by going to Statistics Canada website.
