LPS Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh. The service has updated its crime stats for the first nine months of 2023. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Police chief discusses crime stats in Lethbridge

Feb 5, 2024 | 12:19 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) has provided statistics on trends in crime for this past year.

LPS Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh spoke at the January 31, 2024, Lethbridge Police Commission meeting.

Between the beginning of January and the end of September in 2023, he said 11,391 crimes were committed in the city.

That is an increase of 7.9 per cent (10,556) from the same period in 2022, although 2022 had the lowest total from the last seven years.

Last year’s numbers still represent a drop from the five-year average.

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The chief believes that one of the biggest factors effecting 2023’s crime stats is that more high-quality police investigations led to more arrests being made.

“We are becoming much more strategic and intel-led. We’ve increased the capacity and size of our intelligence unit, and our analysts, who actually are very effective at providing us stats on the hotspots and prolific offenders so we can actually deploy our resources where they are needed,” said Mehdizadeh.

He added, “We’ve had amazing investigations and success within our teams. Our members, our employees – I’m proud to say they’re solving some really serious, major crimes on the drug side, property crimes, ect.”

Just over half of all crimes in Lethbridge in the first nine months of last year were property crimes (6,102). Although total property crimes are down compared to years past, Mehdizadeh said it remain a concern for the police service.

“A lot of that has to do with a lot of opportunity crimes for criminals to be able to commit crimes – ie. stolen autos with keys in them all of the time, thefts from vehicles, unlocked doors,” said Mehdizadeh. “We’re continuing to work with our citizens to educate them and see how we can use them as a true partner to make sure they can take more ownership of their belongings.”

The number of assaults increased by 13.7 per cent to 1,261, robberies rose by 54.3 per cent to 54, and LPS responded to 10.4 per cent more sexual assaults at 148.

Mehdizadeh was asked by members of the Police Commission about the increase in sexual assaults. He said, in the past, many victims did not report incidents of sexual assault to the police.

“From one sense, it’s disturbing to see that crime trend increasing, but at the same time, we don’t know if it’s a matter of it increasing or it’s a matter of more victims [being] willing to come forward and report it,” Mehdizadeh stated.

Crime was up in both the downtown (+17.5 per cent) and south (+11.6 per cent) neighbourhoods, fell in the north side (-9.5 per cent), and remained relatively consistent on the west side (-1.4 per cent).

The downtown core had by far the biggest number of criminal incidents. Mehdizadeh said enforcement in the area remains a top priority for the LPS and is talking with stakeholders in mental health and addictions to see what more can be done.

To help combat the issue of crime, the chief told LNN that he wants to continue efforts to increase the numbers of both police officers and civilian staff within the police service.

The full report on crime stats can be found on the agenda for the January 31, 2024 Lethbridge Police Commission meeting, starting on page 60.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now

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