Prince Albert earned the dubious distinction of a top-three finish as the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics released the 2021 Crime Severity Index (CSI) values on Tuesday.

Prince Albert ranked third in violent crime among Canadian communities with a population of more than 10,000 people. That’s a slight jump over 2020, when Prince Albert was ranked fifth.

The annual rankings are based on the ratio of crime versus the core population of each community. They are based on the ratio of crime versus the core population of each community.

Prince Albert Police Chief Jon Bergen said the number of homicides continues to be high, especially among Indigenous people and other minority groups. He also said they’re not the only city struggling with violent crime.

“We continue to track crime trends on a daily basis,” Bergen said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. “Our focus remains on proactive engagement and initiatives that support prevention and public safety.

“We know we are not alone in working to address the challenges our community is facing, and we continue to work with governments at all levels, and our community, to engage on solutions and initiatives that support the health and safety of all residents.”

Saskatchewan and Manitoba reported the highest homicide rates in Canada last year, with Saskatchewan alone accounting for 5.93 murders per 100,000 people.

Prince Albert placed 10th in non-violent crime, a section that includes things like drug possession offences and property crime. That ranking remains unchanged from a year ago.

Prince Albert ranks fourth in overall crime, an increase from 2020 when the City placed seventh. In 2015, Prince Albert was ranked second.

Bergen said the police service continues to fill vacancies and add to the department’s front-line response. Over the past year, two experienced officers have joined the Prince Albert Police Service from other agencies, with another four recruits began their training in Regina this week.

The rankings do not include crimes committed in 2022.

Prince Albert census data shows roughly 37,700 residents living in the community. However, Bergen sais PA police officers deal with a much larger community than shown in the official census due to Prince Albert’s role as a hub for everyday services like medical appointments or entertainment options.