Despite relatively low property crime rates in Abbotsford, violent crime has increased, according to Police Chief, Mike Serr. “We are seeing property crime being reduced in Abbotsford. We are seeing that in jurisdictions that are around us as well currently,” explains Serr. “We have the lowest property crime rate per 100,000 people population of all the surrounding communities.” It’s not all good news, though, for the province’s largest municipality outside the GVRD. “Violent crime rate is trending upwards. A lot of that is what we call Street Assaults.”Abbotsford doesn’t have the random assaults and stranger attacks that are found in other communities. With lower levels of crime, the police’s goal is to see those offenders get the help and support to find the underlying issue. However, the concern is that a small percentage of individuals do a disproportionate amount of crime, and are known repeat violent offenders, who are not following through with their probation. Serr believes offenders need to be held accountable when they inevitably commit another crime and then are released back into the community. I wouldn’t say it’s a ‘huge’ problem,” He says. “Is it a problem? It is., And it’s a problem that we follow and monitor, and that we would certainly like to see certain people held in custody longer.” “Past behavior is the best good indication of future behavior in many ways,” Serr says. “And there are some individuals who, despite our [the police’s] best efforts, and the community’s best efforts, are just causing harm in our community, and they need to keep them in custody to ensure that they are not going to pose a danger. And at the same time trying to find and help and support [them], so when they get out they have the tools and skills to hopefully prevent them from doing this again.”

For the full interview and more on Chief Mike Serr’s thoughts on Fraser Valley crime, listen here: