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Grande Prairie no longer Canada’s most dangerous city

Nov 24, 2017 | 9:27 AM

Grande Prairie is no longer the most dangerous place in Canada, according to the latest report from Maclean’s.
 
The crime severity index for G.P. dropped 150 points to sit at number 12 in Canada.
 
Northbattleford, Saskatchewan got the number 1 spot with Thompson, Manitoba and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan rounding out the top three.
 
Other Alberta cities on the list include Red Deer in the number 4 spot and Llloydminster at number 14.  Edmonton is holding down the number 31 spot.
 
Dawson Creek, BC came in at number 17.  Fort St. John is 27th.
 
Grande Prairie’s rating was based on three homicides, 488 assaults and 37 firearms incidents.
 
There were 57 robberies, 502 break and enters, and 407 fraud incidents.
 
When it came to drugs and alcohol; there were 371 impaired driving charges, 50 incidents of trafficking or producing cocaine, 7 of marijuana and 58 of other controlled substances.
 
The previous report based on 2015 data put Grande Prairie as Canada’s most dangerous city.  That year, Grande Prairie was the worst in all three major crime categories: overall violent and non-violent crimes and topped the list for total drug crimes.
 
In response, nine municipal police officers were hired in 2016, four in 2017, and there are plans to add four more in 2018.  A five-person specialized drug unit was also assembled in September 2016.