Police say crime is down in the capital city.
The Edmonton Police Service said on Wednesday that police-reported crime was down 11 per cent in 2023.
That is compared to the national rise of three per cent during the same time period.
According to EPS, Edmonton’s decrease last year is one of the largest decreased crime rates in Canadian metropolitan cities.
Ron Anderson, EPS chief innovation and technology officer, said initiatives targeted at theft and social disorder are partly behind the falling crime rate.
Those include the community accelerator program, the safer public spaces initiative and the new provincial navigation centre.
While the crime rate was down, the severity of violent crime in Edmonton rose four per cent in 2023.
“Make no mistake, violent crime continues to be a major concern in our city,” Anderson said.
“While we still need to keep our foot on the crime-fighting pedal, we’re beginning to see some tangible traction with some of our targeted initiatives.”