According to the Saskatoon Police Service 2011 Annual Report, Saskatoon saw a drop in every major category of crimes committed against people.

It shows 5 homicides in 2011, down from 10 the previous year, while attempted murders, assaults, armed robberies, stalking, and all other 'crimes against the person' showed an across-the-board, 5 per cent drop.

Chief of the Saskatoon Police Service, Clive Weighill, says the numbers reflect their current efforts to crack down on street crime.Crimes related to drugs dropped almost 19 per cent, while prostitution jumped 13 per cent compared with 2010 numbers.

Crime against property also showed a significant increase.  But those last 2 categories are what Weighill calls "police-generated" -- in that as they crack down on those areas, more charges are filed and more crimes are on the books.

Saskatoonhomepage.ca News asked Chief Clive Weighill if they are concerned about a ramp up in gang activity as the city continues to grow at a significant rate?  He says one of the biggest issues Saskatoon faces, and probably most of Canada, is the increase in the drug trade and the collateral damage that comes from the violence, and the property thefts and the like, which emerge from that drug trade.

 Chief Weighill says as to the five year plan for the Saskatoon Police Service they want to work hard on street crime, they're preparing to move into their new headquarters building next fall as well as installing cameras - both audio and video - in every patrol car and every traffic car by the end of this year.  (pb/vmf Oct 16/12)