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Table 3-1
Police officers and crime rates — Police officers in census metropolitan areas
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| 2008 population 1 | 2009 number of police officers 2 | 2009 police officers per 100,000 population 3 | Percentage change in rate of officers 2008 to 2009 | 2008 Crime Severity Index 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| number | rate | percent | rate | ||
| 500,000 and over population | |||||
| Montréal | 3,767,389 | 6,989 | 186 | -1.3 | 91 |
| Winnipeg 5 | 761,166 | 1,418 | 186 | 0.7 | 124 |
| Toronto | 5,532,185 | 9,828 | 178 | 0.6 | 64 |
| Edmonton | 1,134,670 | 1,753 | 154 | 3.0 | 122 |
| Hamilton | 704,712 | 1,098 | 156 | 2.7 | 77 |
| Vancouver 5 | 2,279,688 | 3,527 | 155 | 1.3 | 119 |
| Calgary | 1,186,732 | 1,814 | 153 | 3.6 | 85 |
| Ottawa 6 | 914,581 | 1,350 | 148 | -1.6 | 69 |
| Kitchener | 510,784 | 739 | 145 | -1.7 | 69 |
| Québec | 736,665 | 1,018 | 138 | -1.0 | 64 |
| 100,000 to less than 500,000 population | |||||
| Thunder Bay | 119,557 | 260 | 217 | 3.4 | 107 |
| Saint John 7 | 101,936 | 211 | 207 | 1.1 | 103 |
| Regina | 209,569 | 411 | 196 | 4.3 | 163 |
| Windsor | 333,534 | 597 | 179 | -0.6 | 75 |
| St. John's | 183,305 | 327 | 178 | 6.8 | 86 |
| Halifax 5 | 394,565 | 688 | 174 | -0.3 | 96 |
| Saskatoon | 258,770 | 457 | 177 | -0.8 | 138 |
| Brantford | 137,453 | 228 | 166 | 0.0 | 104 |
| Peterborough | 120,753 | 195 | 161 | .. | 66 |
| St. Catharines-Niagara | 442,121 | 707 | 160 | -2.7 | 80 |
| Guelph | 121,549 | 191 | 157 | 4.2 | 58 |
| Greater Sudbury | 164,412 | 255 | 155 | 2.2 | 74 |
| Abbotsford-Mission | 169,745 | 256 | 151 | 3.9 | 143 |
| Victoria | 347,146 | 531 | 153 | 2.9 | 101 |
| Barrie | 194,755 | 288 | 148 | 2.7 | 64 |
| Trois-Rivières | 147,682 | 214 | 145 | -1.5 | 78 |
| London | 486,157 | 703 | 145 | 0.6 | 85 |
| Kingston | 156,855 | 223 | 142 | 2.0 | 68 |
| Gatineau 8 | 295,876 | 420 | 142 | -0.9 | 76 |
| Sherbrooke 9 | 182,856 | 240 | 131 | 4.8 | 77 |
| Saguenay | 144,598 | 178 | 123 | -0.2 | 59 |
| Moncton | 132,613 | 150 | 113 | -2.5 | 73 |
| Kelowna | 174,771 | 171 | 98 | 0.1 | 126 |
Populations are based on July 1st preliminary postcensal populations for 2008 (based on the 2006 Census),
Demography Division, Statistics Canada. Populations are adjusted to follow
policing boundaries. Census metropolitan area populations for 2009 are
not yet available.
Represents actual police officer strength as
of May 15th, 2009.
Based on the number of police officers in 2009 and
census metropolitan area populations for 2008. Census metropolitan area
populations for 2009 are not yet available.
The police-reported Crime Severity Index measures
changes in the severity of crime from year to year. Each type of offence is
assigned a weight derived from actual sentences handed down by courts.
Police officer counts include officers deployed
to contract positions (e.g. airport, port, United Nations Mission).
Represents the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau
census metropolitan area.
Since 2005, the Hampton Police service
is no longer included in the census metropolitan area population for Saint
John, resulting in a higher rate of police strength than in past years.
Represents the Quebec portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau
census metropolitan area.
Memphremagog Police Service in now included
in the census metropolitan area population for Sherbrooke, resulting in a
lower rate of police strength than in past years.
Note(s):
A census metropolitan area refers to a large urban core (at least 100,000 population)
together with adjacent urban and rural areas that have a high degree of economic
and social integration. The areas that police forces serve may differ in their
mix of urban/suburban populations, making the comparability of crime rates
among these forces difficult. This lack of comparability is addressed by analyzing
crime rates by census metropolitan area. Usually, more than one police force
is responsible for enforcing the law within the boundaries of a single census
metropolitan area. The numbers in table 3-1 do
not agree with those in table 3-2 (which report
data at the level of individual police services) because most census metropolitan
areas comprise more than one police service. The census metropolitan area
of Oshawa is not included due to incongruities between policing jurisdiction
and census metropolitan area boundaries. Crimes investigated by Royal Canadian
Mounted Police federal personnel within census metropolitan areas are included;
however police officer counts do not include Royal Canadian Mounted Police
federal police officers. While table 3-1 may be
used to compare major metropolitan areas, table 3-2 may
be used to compare major police services in Canada.
Source(s):
Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Police
Administration Survey and Uniform Crime Reporting Survey.
