The Sarnia Police Service (SPS) saw record high clearance rates in 2024.
Statistics Canada issued its annual Crime Severity Index (CSI) last week, which saw the clearance rate increase in each category.
The CSI is a statistical measure used in Canada to track changes in the severity of police-reported crime and the weighted clearance rate determines how effective police are at clearing crimes.
In 2024, SPS cleared 56 per cent of crimes compared to 45 per cent in 2023.
Overall, the CSI for Sarnia went down 1.36 per cent with an eight per cent decrease in non-violent crimes.
Police Chief Derek Davis said the CSI incorporates court sentencing and the seriousness of charges.
"It makes it a good indicator of what a community is experiencing and how the police are doing because we can't control the output, we can just do the best we can and we look forward to seeing the results of the CSI and we try to adjust from there," he said.
Statistics Canada found there was an increase in the violent category of 11.5 per cent in Sarnia.
Davis said while the number is concerning, it's explainable.
"[The violent CSI] was a significant jump but we also had a significant number of homicides, which is not a recurring, usual, annual event," he said. "So concerning... yes, explainable... yes, but we're hoping for a better year this year."
In 2024, SPS investigated four homicides, but other violent crimes including domestic violence, assaults, and robberies, contributed to the increase.
Davis said he would be more concerned if the overall CSI was up and clearance rates were down.
"We were able to hold the overall CSI slightly below last year's and at the same time increase our daily ability to solve the larger crime volume that we're dealing with," he said.
Several of the crime categories -- including criminal harassment, non-consensual distribution of intimate images, and using a firearm to commit an offence -- saw more offenders from 2023 to 2024.
Even with the increases, SPS said it remains in the top 25 per cent of Canadian municipalities for overall CSI.
Last year, the police service was dealing with the Rainbow Park encampment.
Davis said while the encampment was a factor, it's important to remember crime is not about the location but people in the park caused the offences.
"Although the park has been dispersed, many of the same individuals who were at that park are still within our community, just not at that postal code," he said.
Meanwhile, for Lambton OPP, the CSI in Point Edward had a score of 51.86 in 2024, a decrease of 34 per cent from 2023.
In St. Clair Township and Lambton Shores, there was a three per cent increase recorded and the CSI score was 32.02.
Walpole Island First Nation recorded a slight decrease of two per cent, for a CSI score of 349.73.
Each of the Lambton OPP detachments also saw an increase in the weighted clearance rate.
The full report can be found on Statistics Canada's website.