Table 3-1
Police officers and crime rates — Police officers in census metropolitan areas, 2011

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Police officers in census metropolitan areas, 2011


Table summary
This table displays the results of police officers in census metropolitan areas. The information is grouped by census metropolitan area (appearing as row headers), 2010  population, 2011 number of police officers, 2011 policeofficers per 100,000   population, percentagechange in rate of officers 2010  to 2011 and 2010 crime severity index, calculated using number, rate and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Census metropolitan area 2010  populationNote 1 2011 number of police officersNote 2 2011 policeofficers
per 100,000   populationNote 3		 Percentagechange
in rate of officers 2010  to 2011		 2010 Crime Severity IndexNote 4
  number rate percent rate
Saint John 103,196 206 200 -1 91.9
Regina 218,517 425 194 0 131.4
Thunder Bay 119,908 232 193 2 111.3
WinnipegNote 5 781,012 1,460 187 2 122.3
Saskatoon 272,887 496 182 -3 128.1
Montréal 3,865,268 7,021 182 0 83.7
Windsor 330,060 597 181 1 66.1
St. John's 186,242 336 180 2 101.9
Toronto 5,697,027 10,213 179 -1 57.8
St. Catharines-Niagara 443,866 761 171 -1 69.8
HalifaxNote 5 403,437 689 171 -2 96.8
Brantford 139,687 235 168 -1 99.1
VancouverNote 5, Note 6 2,392,202 3,955 165 -3 101.2
Edmonton 1,178,989 1,930 164 -2 102.0
Peterborough 121,229 198 163 1 67.8
Abbotsford-Mission 175,589 280 159 1 99.8
Calgary 1,248,215 1,988 159 -2 76.5
Greater Sudbury 164,357 260 158 2 84.2
Barrie 197,797 307 155 1 60.1
London 493,118 765 155 0 82.4
Victoria 358,478 556 155 2 83.7
Hamilton 720,837 1,110 154 1 70.9
Guelph 124,130 190 153 -1 50.4
Kingston 160,174 236 147 1 62.3
Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo 522,968 757 145 -2 68.0
OttawaNote 7 939,821 1,346 143 -4 60.1
GatineauNote 8 306,307 413 135 2 69.3
Sherbrooke 187,572 248 132 -1 70.7
Québec 753,039 961 128 0 56.1
Trois-Rivières 149,728 190 127 0 69.4
Saguenay 145,689 179 123 -1 73.4
Moncton 136,362 156 114 -3 71.8
Kelowna 178,845 201 112 2 113.1
Note 1.

Populations are based on preliminary postcensal estimates for 2010, Statistics Canada, Demography Division. Populations are adjusted to follow policing boundaries. Census metropolitan area populations for 2011 are not yet available.

Note 2.

Represents the actual number of permanent, fully-sworn police officers of all ranks (or their full-time equivalents) as of May 15, 2011. This number also includes officers who are deployed to contract positions and who are not available for general policing duties in their community. Police officers on long-term leave who are not being paid by the police service's annual budget are excluded.

Note 3.

Based on the number of police officers in 2011 and census metropolitan area populations for 2010. Census metropolitan area populations for 2011 are not yet available.

Note 4.

The Crime Severity Index takes into account both the volume and the seriousness of crime. In the calculation of the Crime Severity Index, each offence is assigned a weight, derived from average sentences handed down by criminal courts. The more serious the average sentence, the higher the weight for that offence. As a result, more serious offences have a greater impact on changes in the index. All Criminal Code offences, including traffic offences and other federal statute offences, are included in the Crime Severity Index.

Note 5.

Police officer counts include officers deployed to contract positions (e.g. airport, port, United Nations Mission).

Note 6.

The South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority and the British Columbia Lower Mainland Integrated Teams are included as of 2009, resulting in a higher rate of police officer strength than in past years.

Note 7.

Represents the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau census metropolitan area.

Note 8.

Represents the Quebec portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau census metropolitan area.

Note(s): A census metropolitan area consists of one or more neighbouring municipalities situated around a central core. A census metropolitan area must have a total population of at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more live in the central core. To be included in the census metropolitan area, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the central core, as measured by commuting flows derived from census data. A census metropolitan area typically comprises more than one police service. 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.
1.
Populations are based on preliminary postcensal estimates for 2010, Statistics Canada, Demography Division. Populations are adjusted to follow policing boundaries. Census metropolitan area populations for 2011 are not yet available.
2.
Represents the actual number of permanent, fully-sworn police officers of all ranks (or their full-time equivalents) as of May 15, 2011. This number also includes officers who are deployed to contract positions and who are not available for general policing duties in their community. Police officers on long-term leave who are not being paid by the police service's annual budget are excluded.
3.
Based on the number of police officers in 2011 and census metropolitan area populations for 2010. Census metropolitan area populations for 2011 are not yet available.
4.
The Crime Severity Index takes into account both the volume and the seriousness of crime. In the calculation of the Crime Severity Index, each offence is assigned a weight, derived from average sentences handed down by criminal courts. The more serious the average sentence, the higher the weight for that offence. As a result, more serious offences have a greater impact on changes in the index. All Criminal Code offences, including traffic offences and other federal statute offences, are included in the Crime Severity Index.
5.
Police officer counts include officers deployed to contract positions (e.g. airport, port, United Nations Mission).
6.
The South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority and the British Columbia Lower Mainland Integrated Teams are included as of 2009, resulting in a higher rate of police officer strength than in past years.
7.
Represents the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau census metropolitan area.
8.
Represents the Quebec portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau census metropolitan area.
Note(s):
A census metropolitan area consists of one or more neighbouring municipalities situated around a central core. A census metropolitan area must have a total population of at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more live in the central core. To be included in the census metropolitan area, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the central core, as measured by commuting flows derived from census data. A census metropolitan area typically comprises more than one police service. 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.