Overall crime down, violent crime up: Edmonton police 2023 data

After releasing the 2023 crime rate report last week, the Edmonton Police Service has released its year-end crime analysis, provinding a bigger picture of crime in the city.

The annual crime rate report highlighted the fact that Edmonton had seen a drop of 7.2 per cent in crimes in 2023 compared to 2022.

READ MORE: Edmonton crime rate declines by 7.2%: EPS annual report

The EPS’s annual report says a large reason for the drop was due to lower numbers of non-violent crimes, which declined by 4.6 per cent.

Despite this, the report also indicated crime severity increased in the city by 4.6 per cent, and violent crime severity increased by 7.3 per cent.

“While we are pleased to see clear indications of the effectiveness of our officers and initiatives, Edmonton continues to experience an unacceptable level of violence in our communities. After several years of uncertainty, 2023 was the first year since 2020 in which EPS began to have some renewed stability in EPS funding which has, in turn, allowed the service to apply additional focus and planning flexibility as it deploys its resources,” said Chief Dale McFee, Edmonton Police Service.

“In turn, there are clear improvements in areas where EPS has been able to focus including, downtown, Chinatown and throughout our LRT and Transit system. Where police resources are applied, the results are encouraging, and gains are being made. There is more work to do, especially around violence in our community.”

McFee added many new initiatives that were put in place throughout the year, help to lower the number of crimes.

“EPS and its partners are pulling on the rope together now, and the initial results are promising. However, the increasing rates of violence and severity of violence are concerning. An emergent Crime Management Plan, enhanced resources to support our Guns and Gangs team and to stand up an additional Firearms Investigation Unit, and growing community partnerships all will help us to adapt to address the increasing levels of violence plaguing our city.”

By the numbers

Overall crime rate in the city dropped by 7.2 per cent. In 2023 there were 89,394 reported crimes.

EPS found that 15 per cent were failing to complay with orders, 10 per cent were shoplifting under $5,000, 9 per cent was theft of $5,000 or less from a motor vehicle, 7 per cent was mischief, and 7 per cent was fraud.

Crime severity increased by 4.6 per cent, with violent crimes increasing by 7.3 per cent. in 2023, 16,175 of the reported crimes were violent incidents.

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Level one and two assualts increased by 8 and 6 per cent respectively, and intimidation of a non-justice participant jumped by 115 per cent.

Crimes involving weapons increased by 9 per cent. Of those, firearm incidents rose by 16 per cent, knife incidents by 1 per cent, and caustic spray incidents increased by 14 per cent.

Crime severity at LRT/Tranist Centres also decreased in 2023 by 11.3 per cent, despite the fact the number of calls for incidents at transit centres increased by 18.8 per cent.