Some Interesting Facts About Crime in Mississauga
Published September 10, 2018 at 9:35 pm
Over the past few months, a great deal of attention has been centered around crime–particularly gun-related crime–throughout Toronto and the GTA.
In summer of 2018, Peel Police Chief Jennifer Evans said that the police service had noticed a “a dramatic spike in shots being fired.”
At the time, police said over 100 bullets have been fired in 2018.
But while the statistics might seem alarming, police have stressed that, overall, gun crime is low in the region–and the region is indeed a very large one.
It’s also one that, police say, is actually safer than other regions.
“Gun violence remains a top priority for Peel Regional Police and that is clear when you look at crime rates,” police say.
Videos
“Macleans magazine recently ranked the Most Dangerous Cities in Canada and Peel ranked 116th place which was low on the list for firearms offences. Our solvency rates for property and violent crime are above the national and provincial rates. Violent crime rates in Peel Region were and continue to be below provincial and national averages.”
With increased focus on crime in Brampton and Mississauga overall, it’s interesting to look at how big the Region of Peel actually is (and how much crime is committed here).
Most people are aware, at least in a peripheral sense, that the region emcompasses well over 1 million people. Peel police serves over 1.3 million people living in Brampton and Mississauga (Caledon is served by the Ontario Provincial Police), as well as 47.1 million travellers who pass through Pearson International Airport annually.
In the service’s recent annual report, it breaks down some crime-related numbers.
According to the report, 429 firearms were seized by police in 2017.
The report also finds that mental health-related calls are up 15 per cent. Police say officers attended close to 6,000 incidents involving a person suffering from a mental health crisis.
Criminal offences were also up in 2017–by 6 per cent year-over-year.
Police say 22 crimes against persons were committed a day, while 71 crimes against property were committed.
A striking 242 highway traffic act charges were issued per day.
In 2017, police say over 15,000 people faced charges. Twelve per cent of those charged were between the ages of 12 and 17.
Calls to police increased in 2017.
According to police, officers fielded 365,000 9-1-1 calls.
Thirty-six per cent of those calls are hang-ups or non-emergency calls.
Police also seized a number of illegal drugs.
Police are laid multiple driving-related charges during a two-day driving blitiz that it launched in conjunction with York Regional Police and the OPP.
Do these numbers surprise you?
insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising