DRUG CRIME, SEX ASSAULT ON THE RISE

More women and children in Peel Region are being victimized by sexual assault.

Drug use and drug trafficking are also on the increase here.

Those are some of the alarming highlights in the Peel Regional Police
annual statistical report for 2005, tabled at a recent police
services board meeting.

The 29-page report also showed that robberies and property crimes in
Mississauga and Brampton are down.

And, while crimes of violence, including homicides and assaults, were
up slightly last year (0.6 per cent), they have decreased by five per
cent since 2001, according to the report.

"That's encouraging, especially when you think of the 143,000 people
that have moved into this Region since 2001," said Peel Chief of
Police Mike Metcalf yesterday. "It takes a lot of resources to do
that, but I think it's pretty reflective of our goal to try to make
this a safer community."

The 459 reported incidents of sexual assault in 2005 is a five per
cent jump from 2004, when police investigated 425 incidents. Sexual
assault cases have risen 16 per cent since 2001.

Metcalf said the jump could be attributed to an increase in sexual
predators, such as a man who was groping women on Mississauga Transit
buses last March.

"(The increase in sexual assaults) certainly is concerning," he said.
"Sometimes these (cases) will spike and it's in relation to one
assailant. If you have a serial predator out there, he's going to
cause a spike in the statistics. That can partly be attributed to the
(increase)."

There are 408 registered sex offenders in Peel, 25 of whom are
classified as "high risk" to re-offend, Metcalf said.

Meanwhile, drug trafficking and drug possession increased by an
average of 14 per cent last year.

Cocaine trafficking was up more than 15 per cent, with 244 incidents
last year compared to 205 in 2004.

Metcalf said an increase in the trucking industry in Peel Region has
meant more resources are now available to transport large shipments
of narcotics.

"When I was in charge (of the drug unit) years ago, we caught 300
kilograms of cocaine that was trucked up from the east coast," the
chief said. "Cocaine has been sharply increasing for many years now.
It's the money that's involved (in selling it) and unfortunately we
have a market for it."

Both Metcalf and Ian Cunningham, executive director of the
Mississauga Crime Prevention Association (MCPA), said residents and
business owners are more committed to crime prevention, and this has
led to less robberies and a decrease in property crime in 2005.

Robberies were down 2.6 per cent last year, while break-and-enters,
car and bicycle thefts decreased by an average of 15 per cent.

"Residents are definitely being more vigilant and being an extension
of the eyes and ears of police," said Cunningham, who added that
Neighbourhood Watch programs in Mississauga have increased from 100
last year to 107 in 2006.

The report also revealed:

* a 20 per cent increase in impaired driving offences.

* a four per cent increase in calls made to Crime Stoppers and a 13
per cent jump in arrests made thanks to Crime Stoppers.

* A 21 per cent jump in traffic fatalities.