Stats Confirm slide in crime reports
By: Brian Burchell

Feeling that your neighbourhood is a little safer these days? There is empirical evidence to support that view. At a recent meeting of the Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) for 14 Division, a consultative body the police use to keep connected with local stakeholder groups such as residents’ associations and business groups, the year-to-date crime numbers were reported and discussed. The short story is that in 2013 crime is down again, and this is not just compared with last year, it’s reflective of a years-long slide in the numbers.

Here is a summary:

Offense                      2012                   2013          Change%

• Assaults                    1056                    881              -17%
• Commercial B & E   204                    185              -9%
• Residential B & E    269                     276               3%
• Robberies                 237                     226              -5%
• Theft from Auto     1096                   899             -18%
• Stolen Vehicles        137                     143                4%

Source: Detective Constable Laurie McCann, Toronto Police 14 Division

Detective Constable Laurie McCann compiles the statistics each month and is able to discern trends and help focus police resources where problem areas exist. 14 Division covers all of the Annex and Liberty areas from Spadina to the east to Dufferin in the west and from the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks at Dupont all the way south to the lake. Notably this police division includes much of Parkdale. The geographical scope of responsibility for this division is something to bear in mind when looking at the numbers.

Detective Sergeant Brian Kelly advised that “although the residential break and enter (B & Es) numbers appear to be up year-to-year, this is misleading. When there is a break-in of multiple condo lockers, each locker is counted as separate incident.” In fact, residential B & Es are down as are commercial B & Es and notably assaults and robberies. Even stolen vehicles which appear to be on an upward trend represent a specific crime trend relating to a series of targeted motorcycle thefts, according to Kelly.

Superintendent Mario DiTommaso addressed the “theft from auto” numbers. Though they appear to be down, he explained that “many of these offences are committed by repeat offenders. Many commit these crimes of opportunity to feed a drug addiction.

They go through the court system and are back out in the community in a revolving door effect.” DiTommaso suggested that he felt that “often times when the judicial process is referring the convicted to a drug treatment program the sentencing is too lenient.”

On Nov. 24, 2013, officers attended 294 College St. with a search warrant which was a result of an ongoing investigation into a suspected booze can. Uniformed and plain clothes officers entered the premises and arrested several parties who worked there. Large amounts of alcohol and cash were seized and charges were laid.

Staff Sergeant James Hogan reported on numerous drug enforcement initiatives in the vicinity of Bellevue Square Park in Kensington Market.The statistics give a glimpse of a safer city and specifically our slice of it.