The overall severity of crime in Sooke increased last year but remained below the provincial average.
Statistics Canada released the 2023 Crime Severity Index (CSI) data for all jurisdictions across Canada last week.
The CSI is a national measure of police-reported crime, with index scores compared to a baseline of 100, calculated using historical data. Unlike traditional crime rates, which only count the number of crimes, the CSI considers both the number and seriousness of crimes. A higher score indicates greater severity or a higher number of crimes, while a lower score generally suggests a relatively safe community.
Sooke's overall CSI for 2023 was 76.98, an increase of about 15 per cent, or more than 10 points, from 2022's 66.83. Violent crime severity decreased to 67.52, down nearly 33 per cent from 100.34 in 2022. However, non-violent crime severity rose to 81.41 from 54, an increase of 50 per cent.
Among Greater Victoria police services, Sooke had the second-highest overall CSI score, with only Victoria, at 171.12, having a higher score. Sooke's CSI was about 35 per cent below B.C.'s average of 104.11 and five per cent lower than the national average of 80.45. Both these averages have increased since 2021.
Sooke has been grappling with growth, which has brought big city problems to the area, as noted repeatedly by RCMP detachment commander Staff Sgt. Greg Willcocks.
“It’s happening at such a fast pace that it’s important for police services to adapt to the rising change in population and development. The last census showed a 10 per cent increase in population, and it will be interesting to see what that looks like in 2025,” Willcocks said in an interview with the Sooke News Mirror last year.
In April 2023, the district council agreed to fund a shift to 24/7 police coverage, which will add five new members to the detachment over the next five years. The new model is expected to begin this year.
