The severity of crime in Delta is dropping.
Statistics Canada recently released its 2010 Crime Severity Index (CSI) report, and while the national average saw a drop of six per cent in the severity of both violent and non-violent crimes, Delta saw its severity ranking drop even more.
Delta's overall crime severity rating dropped by 12.2 per cent, from 77.1 to 67.2, between 2009 and 2010.
The community's violent crime severity index value dropped from 71.4 in 2009 to 55.5 in 2010 (a 22 per cent decrease), while the non-violent crime value went from 79.3 to 71.7, a decrease of nine per cent.
"The CSI decreases in Delta, most notably in the violent CSI category, can be attributed to a number of department initiatives... as well as maintaining specialty sections including the DPD Mental Health and Street Crime units," police chief Jim Cessford said last week in a report to the Delta police board.
CSI measures the seriousness of crimes.
Out of 238 Canadian municipalities with a population of more than 10,000 Delta ranked 156th for 2010. In this report, a higher ranking means a lower CSI value.
Anherstburg, Ontario, had the highest ranking for 2010 with an overall CSI value of 24.4, while North Battleford, Saskatchewan, had the lowest ranking with a value of 357.1.
In this region, Langley was ranked 13th with a CSI value of 175.7. Surrey came in at 30th (130.9), Chilliwack was 44th (120), New Westminster ranked 47th (118.6), Vancouver was 58th (110.4), Burnaby ranked 74th (99.8) and Abbotsford was 82nd (93.1).
