Edmonton police credit data-driven surge policing for decline in Downtown crime

Crime and violence rates have declined in Edmonton, according to Edmonton Police, who are crediting recent efforts at data-driven surge policing as part of the reason why.

The Edmonton Police Service said that from the start of the year to the end of September, crime severity in Downtown was down 13.6 per cent, compared with the same time last year. Calls to the police also dropped by nearly 8 per cent, while calls made by officers increased by 42.5 per cent.

Police operations chief Devin Laforce said those numbers show that officers are being more proactive in disrupting crime as it happens.

“That’s fewer victims, fewer people needed to call police, and in exchange for that, we have our police officers being in the right places at the correct times, doing the correct things,” Laforce said.

He later added that police are also noting an increase in people’s perception of safety.

Speaking from a Wednesday news conference at Butler Memorial Park in West Edmonton, Laforce said the results are thanks to recent efforts that use data and intelligence to determine where and when to staff more visible officers in high-crime areas.

EPS outlined the new strategy in May, calling it the Safer Edmonton Initiative, targeting areas around the core.

The data and intelligence police use often comes from civilian calls to the police, EPS said, but also from what officers see and hear when patrolling on the ground. Police also monitor social media and use novel data tools like Zencity and Peregrine to help inform decisions.

The switch in strategy came after EPS saw other agencies use similar tactics, but also as policing technology has become more advanced.

Chief Warren Driechel said at the May announcement that the strategy was also a response to the opioid crisis, which had driven disorder and deaths on Edmonton streets.

After the success Downtown, efforts have been mirrored in west-end hot spots like Stony Plain Road and Butler Memorial Park. Inspector Trevor Bohachyk with EPS’s west branch said Wednesday that the branch has seen a 17 per cent reduction in violent crime.

“While there is no single solution to community safety challenges, these results suggest that focused enforcement is helping make a difference,” Bohachyk said.

Bohachyk also pointed to a recent, serious assault at Butler Memorial Park on Sept. 30, and how EPS was able to quickly identify the suspect thanks to the presence of officers at the right time.

The strategy is also meant to be tailored for each specific community’s needs. In that vein, traffic safety, along with speeding and aggressive driving, has been a concern in the west end, Bohachyk said.

He said the new initiative, along with the service’s pilot of an aggressive driving unit, helped see a 17 per cent reduction in personal injuries and collisions as well.

Todd Janes with the Stony Plain Road business improvement area said they have been dealing with issues like break-ins, copper wire thefts, graffiti and vandalism.

He also said traffic safety has been an issue since the province changed rules around automated cameras, and there has been more speeding and running lights.

But despite that, the area is still seeing growth and new businesses opening.

“Businesses in our area are deeply resilient,” Janes said.

“I think we can’t necessarily police ourselves out of the system. I think it’s complicated, and it needs a number of different resources,” Janes said, adding that it will require all orders of government working in lockstep.

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