The crime severity index (CSI) for the Belleville Census Metropolitan Area, which includes not only Belleville, but Quinte West, Stirling-Rawdon, and Tyendinaga/Deseronto, increased last year from 2020.
The national crime severity index in 2021 was 73.7, unchanged from 2020, while in the Belleville Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) it was 69.3, up 8% from 2020
However the national violent crime severity index was up 5% and it increased by 17% in the Belleville CMA. Violent crimes include assault, sexual assault, homicides, and hate crimes.
Belleville’s Chief of Police Mike Callaghan says that in 2020, the area’s Crime Severity Index was one of the lowest in the country but in 2021 there were two homicides and one attempted murder.
“That can skew those stats so significantly you really can’t just look at one year and say, oh you know what, there’s a trend in violent crime. You really need to look at at least three years’ stats.”
Chief Callaghan says after three or more years, authentic trends can be seen and police enforcement and crime prevention policies can be adjusted to meet different demands.
Meanwhile Callaghan says it’s possible the COVID-19 pandemic has had an effect on violent crimes.
“Is there a correlation between COVID and people being confined and violent crime, sexual assaults, domestic violence? You know what? It’s going to take us a couple of more years as we get out of the pandemic to see if there’s a correlation between the two.”
Statistics Canada released its annual Police Reported Crime Statistics report Monday.
Both the Belleville Police Service and the OPP patrol in the Belleville CMA.
