Edmonton police say data-driven focus on criminal hotspots is helping reduce crime
Posted October 14, 2026 11:50 pm.
Edmonton police say their shift to focus on more crime hotspots in the city is working, in places like downtown or in the west end.
The Edmonton Police Service says people should expect to see more visible police presence through the city, with proactive patrols now seven days a week.
The EPS is expanding the Safer Edmonton program to more of what they call “crime treatment zones,” including downtown and around Stony Plain Road.
“There’s been fewer calls. That’s fewer victims, fewer people needing to call police,” said EPS’ police operations chief Devin Laforce.
Edmonton Police shared results for the downtown zone: a 13 per cent drop in crime severity from January to September compared to 2025. And police officers generated 42 per cent more of their own reports by being proactive.
“We’re also seeing improvements in disorder-related activity, which remains one of the most common concerns raised by our communities,” Laforce said.
So how does proactive policing work, exactly? Authorities hone in on specific areas where a lot of calls and complaints come in at a certain time. They then send the officers to that specific location at that time when they think crime is happening.
Todd Janes, head of the Stony Plain Road Business Association, says he’s noticing crimes are changing as police shift their approach. He says he’s been hearing from businesses about more break and enters, graffiti, and copper wire thefts from new buildings under construction, and even city lampposts.
Edmonton police say they’re expanding the crime treatment zones across the city within their current resources.
