The crime rate in Somerset Ward was more than three times higher than the rest of Ottawa last year.
According to the Ottawa Police Service’s 2013 “Crime, Police, and Traffic Statistics Report,” Centretown had a rate of more than 12,000 offenses per 100,000 people in 2013. The city average was roughly 3,700 offenses per 100,000 people.
Centretown also had the highest crime rate of any city ward. The Rideau-Vanier ward did have more crimes against persons and property than Centretown, but it had far fewer “other offences,” such as bail violations, weapon violations, or breach of probation.
The majority of crimes committed in Centretown were offenses against property, but two of the city’s nine reported homicides in 2013 took place in the downtown area. This is a marked increase from 2012, when there were no murders in the ward.
Other offenses have fallen, however, and Centretown’s general crime rate went down five per cent between 2012 and 2013, while Ottawa’s overall crime rate dropped 11 per cent.
In Centertown, this comes from decreases in crimes against property and “other offenses.” Crimes against persons actually jumped eight per cent in 2013, with an increase of serious offenses such as assault, robbery, and abduction.
For complete numbers, see the full report and the breakdown of crime statistics by individual ward.