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Lethbridge Crime Severity Index ranks 6th highest in Canada: Statistics Canada
🇨🇦 Canada /Crime & Justice

Lethbridge Crime Severity Index ranks 6th highest in Canada: Statistics Canada

From Global News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Lethbridge, Alberta, ranks sixth highest in Canada for its Crime Severity Index (CSI) in 2025, with a score of 107.7.
  • Despite a nearly 20% drop in crime over the past six years, police and residents note an increase in certain violent crimes and drug-related issues contributing to the CSI.
  • Police and city officials argue the CSI may be inflated by increased police presence and enforcement, while some residents still feel downtown areas are unsafe.

Lethbridge, Alberta, has seen its Crime Severity Index (CSI) rise to sixth highest in Canada for 2025, a score of 107.7, according to Statistics Canada. This ranking comes despite a significant drop in overall crime in the southern Alberta community over the past six years.

I think (Lethbridge) is safe but what makes it feel unsafe is people walking around with (drug paraphernalia), you know? Smoking fentanyl.

— Brett WeaselheadA Lethbridge resident commenting on the perception of safety in the city.

While the city's overall crime rate decreased by 13% and its clearance rate increased by nearly 4% in 2025, police acknowledge that an increase in specific violent crimes has impacted the CSI. Lethbridge Police Chief Shahn Mehdizadeh pointed to incidents like an alleged hit-and-run resulting in attempted murder charges as factors contributing to the score. He stated, "Stats are very clear. Crime is down," but acknowledged that "Some of the violent crime that is increasing our CSI is up."

I just wish downtown wasn’t so frightening sometimes.

— Andrew FlemingA resident of Lethbridge since the 1980s expressing concerns about the downtown area.

Residents express mixed feelings about safety. Brett Weaselhead noted concerns about visible drug paraphernalia, saying, "I think (Lethbridge) is safe but what makes it feel unsafe is people walking around with (drug paraphernalia), you know? Smoking fentanyl." Andrew Fleming, a resident since the 1980s, added, "I just wish downtown wasn’t so frightening sometimes."

Stats are very clear. Crime is down.

— Shahn MehdizadehLethbridge's chief of police commenting on crime statistics.

City officials, including Mayor Blaine Hyggen and Sarah Amies, executive director of the Downtown BRZ, suggest that increased police activity, while positive for crime reduction, may inadvertently inflate the CSI. Hyggen explained, "The more the police are doing their work and the more arrests that come, that goes against our CSI. As sad as it is, if we had police out there doing absolutely nothing, guess what our CSI would be? It’d be way, way down." Amies agreed, noting that an increased police presence has demonstrably improved downtown conditions.

Some of the violent crime that is increasing our CSI is up.

— Shahn MehdizadehLethbridge's chief of police explaining factors affecting the Crime Severity Index.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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