A breakdown of Lloydminster’s policing statistics sparked discussion at council this week, as RCMP cautioned that crime data may not always reflect the full picture.
The conversation comes as new data shows a significant overall decline in reported crime, driven largely by a sharp drop in property offences.
Inspector Brian Nicholl presented the 2025 detachment profile and 2026 community priorities during Monday’s Governance and Priorities Committee meeting, walking council through the trends behind the numbers.
While the statistics show clear changes year over year, Nicholl said they must be interpreted carefully.
“One of the challenges we always have with statistics is that they rely on people calling us,” Nicholl said.
He explained that public perception of crime does not always align with what is reflected in official reports.
“There are times when people will say crime is up or crime is down, but in reality, what we’re seeing is changes in reporting,” he said.
Nicholl noted that in some cases, residents may stop reporting incidents altogether, which can create the impression that crime is decreasing when it may not be.
“We know there are situations where people have just stopped calling,” he said.
“That doesn’t mean the issue isn’t there.”
Understanding the numbers
Nicholl told council the data remains a critical tool for policing, but one that depends heavily on community participation.
Statistics help identify trends, allocate resources, and guide priorities, but gaps in reporting can affect how accurately those trends reflect reality.
“If people aren’t reporting, then we don’t have the full picture,” he said.
That gap can influence everything from patrol focus to long-term planning.
Nicholl said the RCMP continues to encourage residents to report incidents, even if they believe the issue is minor or unlikely to result in charges.
Council reaction
Members of council acknowledged both the value of the data and the limitations behind it.
Councillors noted that while statistics provide an important snapshot, they do not always capture the full scope of what residents are experiencing.
The discussion highlighted the role public perception plays in shaping conversations around safety, particularly when it differs from reported numbers.
Several councillors also pointed to the need for ongoing public education around how policing data is collected and why reporting matters.
Link to priorities
Nicholl said the data, combined with community feedback, helps shape the RCMP’s annual priorities.
Those priorities are based not only on reported incidents, but also on what officers are seeing in the community and hearing directly from residents.
“The numbers are one piece of it, but they’re not the only piece,” he said.
He added that public input remains essential in identifying emerging issues and ensuring resources are directed where they are most needed.
Encouraging reporting
A consistent message throughout the presentation was the importance of community participation.
Nicholl emphasized that reporting incidents allows police to respond more effectively and build a clearer understanding of local challenges.
“When people call us, it helps us do our job better,” he said.
Without that input, gaps can form between what is happening in the community and what is reflected in official data.
Looking ahead
As council continues to review policing priorities for the coming year, both RCMP and elected officials pointed to the need for stronger communication with residents.
The goal, Nicholl said, is to ensure the numbers reflect reality as closely as possible.
That starts with one simple step.
“We need people to keep calling,” he said.
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