A Breakdown Of Rising Crime In Barrhaven

By Charlie Senack, Barrhaven Independent

New data released by the Ottawa Police Service is breaking down crime trends which are on the rise in Barrhaven. 

In ward 3 Barrhaven, key crime trends (including traffic violations) were up 20.6 per cent for a total of 1,081 incidents in 2021, compared to 896 in 2020. That includes 204 crimes against a person, 791 crimes against property, and 61 other criminal code violations. 

There were also a total of 204 crimes against a person in Barrhaven ward in 2021, compared to 186 in 2020. That included seven robberies, 42 for threats uttered to a person, and 95 assaults. 

Crimes against property saw an increase of 25.2 per cent in 2021 compared to the year prior, with a total of 791 incidents. That’s compared to 632 incidents in 2020. Break and enters were down nine percentage points with 42 incidents reported. Theft of a motor vehicle stayed the same with 32 incidents reported. Eight cases of theft over $5,000 were reported, along with 310 incidents for theft under $5,000. A total of 278 fraud crimes were also reported, up 22 per cent, along with 117 mischief crimes. 

Other criminal code of Canada offences were up 41.9 per cent in ward 3 in 2021. Incidents rose from 43 in 2020 to 61 last year. 

Criminal Code of Canada Traffic Offences were down 28.6 per cent in 2021. They went down to 25 last year compared to 35 in 2020. 

Calls for service were only slightly up, climbing 6.5 percentage points in 2021, with 6,687 calls coming in from Barrhaven ward. 

The Ottawa Police also released some data from a 2018 survey, which showed the biggest priority for ward 3 Barrhaven residents is speeding cars and aggressive driving which came in at 77 per cent, nine points above the city ward average. 

Feeling of safety in the ward was listed as 96 per cent during the day, four points higher than the city average, but only 72 per cent for at night, one percentage point lower than ward averages. 

A total of 74 per cent of those who filled in the survey said they were satisfied with the Ottawa Police Service, two percentage points higher than the ward average. 

Gloucester-South Nepean

In the neighboring ward of Gloucester-South Nepean, key most crime trends are still rising, but not by as much. 

key crime trends in ward 22 (including traffic offences) were up 17.4 per cent in 2021. That included a 23.8 per cent rise in crimes against a person, with 187 crimes reported that year. Crimes against property rose 18.5 per cent with 840 reported in 2021, compared to 709 in 2020. 

Crimes against a person rose 23.8 per cent in Gloucester-South Nepean in 2021, with 187 reported. That included a 39.9 per cent increase in assaults, rising to 89 in 2021 compared to 65 in 2020. 

Crimes against property were up 18.5 per cent in ward 22 last year, with 840 reported. There were three crimes of arson reported compared to only one in 2020, which shows a 300 per cent increase. Break and enters were however down 24 per cent with 41 in 2021 compared to 54 in 2020. Eight crimes of theft over $5,000 were reported along with 384 for under $5,000. 

Other Criminal Code of Canada crimes were down 3.1 per cent in 2021, with 63 reported that year compared to 65 in 2020. Indecent acts however rose 300 per cent going from two crimes in 2020 to eight in 2021. 

Criminal Code traffic offences stayed the same with 24 reported in both 2020 and 2021. 

Calls for service were up 4.4 per cent with 7,217 calls coming in from ward 22 in 2021. 

Feeling of safety in the ward sits at 95 per cent during the day and 81 per cent after dark, both above the city average.