Regina, Saskatoon top national crime stats

Regina and Saskatoon continue to post the worst crime statistics among major Canadian cities, according to the most recent report on crime.

"Despite an 8% decline, Regina continued to report the highest index [of crime severity] in the country followed by the other western cities of Saskatoon and Winnipeg," the Statistics Canada report, which analyzed police-reported crimes in 2010, said.

"These cities were also among those with the highest overall crime rates," the report added.

At a news conference Thursday morning, Troy Hagen, Regina's chief of police, said police are doing the best they can in their role of enforcement.

"It really requires a multi-dimensional approach to address the root causes," Hagen said. "Certainly the Regina police department cannot address the root causes of crime alone."

Saskatoon and Regina also had the distinction of ranking second and third in terms of the homicide rate, which considers the size of the community and the number of murders committed.

Saskatoon recorded 10 homicides in 2010. In Regina, eight people were murdered.

The homicide rates for the two cities were about twice the national average.