Strength
In 2011, there were 69,438 active/sworn police officers in Canada. This number is expected to exceed 70,000 by the end of 2012. Canadian police strength reached a peak in 1975, when there were 206 officers per 100,000 people. Although the current number reflects a significant rise in the total police strength in the country (the highest in twelve years after steady declines in the 1980s and 1990s), Canada still utilizes fewer police than the United States (230 per 100,000), Australia (222), and England and Wales (262).
Provincially, Saskatchewan had the highest number at 207 officers per 100,000, and the province has also held the national record for the highest crime rate since 1997. The lowest numbers were in Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta. The three territories, while having far fewer police officers in absolute terms, have around twice as many police officers per capita as do the provinces.
The city of Toronto has been known as one of the safest major cities in North America, due to its low crime rate and homicide rate. Toronto's robbery rate also ranks low, with 207.1 robberies per 100,000 people, compared with Los Angeles (348.5), Vancouver (266.2), New York City (265.9), and Montreal (235.3).
| Police officers, by province and territory | |||||
| (Police officers per 100,000 population) | |||||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| police officers per 100,000 population | |||||
| rate | |||||
| Canada | 187.6 | 186.9 | 188.9 | 191.5 | 195.2 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 148.1 | 148.1 | 151 | 156.8 | 165.4 |
| Prince Edward Island | 158.7 | 150.1 | 154.2 | 158.8 | 163.5 |
| Nova Scotia | 171.7 | 172.2 | 173.5 | 178.4 | 188.4 |
| New Brunswick | 170.4 | 173.1 | 172.6 | 172.3 | 177.1 |
| Quebec | 191.7 | 191.1 | 194.2 | 197.3 | 198.2 |
| Ontario | 189.5 | 187 | 186.5 | 187.3 | 191.7 |
| Manitoba | 196.1 | 193.6 | 192.1 | 196.4 | 203.6 |
| Saskatchewan | 200.8 | 202 | 203.1 | 206 | 206.6 |
| Alberta | 158.1 | 159.7 | 162.8 | 166 | 165.1 |
| British Columbia | 171 | 168.2 | 174.9 | 178.1 | 185.5 |
| Yukon Territory | 405.6 | 391.6 | 385.6 | 371.4 | 385.3 |
| Northwest Territories | 386 | 399.6 | 405.8 | 408.5 | 418.7 |
| Nunavut | 414.9 | 415.1 | 402.8 | 396.3 | 394 |
Read more about this topic: Law Enforcement In Canada
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