To all who might have special knowledge of this. I went to look up police stats on crime in the West End/downtown for the recent story on the debate over the overdose-prevention site. I expected to see some kind of sign of an upward blip, given all the stories I was hearing.

But it looks as though crime stats have dropped in all categories, some quite dramatically. Central Business District assaults, Aug 2019: 183; Aug 2020: 160. B & E: 71, 2019; 63, 2020; robbery 31, 2019; 16 2020.

Comparing July 2019 and July 2020 for CBD: Assaults, 170 in 2019; 144 in 2020. Robbery, 22 and 15. B & E, 90 and 55. In both months, thefts from cars down dramatically (535 vs 170 for the two Julys; 528 vs 216 for the two Augusts). But I get that's because no downtown parking.

In the West End, August 2020 vs August 2019: Assaults, 38 vs 33; robberies 7 vs 2; b/es, 46 vs 25. In July 2020 vs July 2019: Assaults, 32 vs 36; robberies, 6 vs 2; theft from auto 134 vs 70.

Even mischief charges are down everywhere.

So I'm wondering what the explanation is for all the stories I heard yesterday about increased crime, assaults, attempted break-ins in particular areas of Yaletown, the Downtown South, West End. Is it that crimes are shifting around inside large areas? Or what?

Anyway, it's all here on the VPD website, month by month, if anyone wants to go look for themselves.

Oh, one last thought. This doesn't prove anything about people feeling as though there has been a shift in their neighbourhoods, that they feel threatened or unsafe. But that's not necessarily about actual crime or crime stats.