Much doubt has been cast on Saskatoon crime statistics, which show fewer crimes last year than in 2023 — and fewer than 10 years ago.

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For those who still believe in police statistics, crime actually dropped in Saskatoon last year.

City police record calls about criminal offences and document them and their locations. Anyone can access these numbers online.

The crimes are broken down into several specific categories as well as broader categories such as crimes against property and crimes against people, which range from homicide to assault to robbery.

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But doubt was cast on the veracity of police statistics last year, notably by newly elected Coun. Robert Pearce, who claimed they failed to paint an accurate picture of the volume of crime, particularly in the Fairhaven neighbourhood where Pearce lives and serves as pastor of a church.

Chief Cam McBride has acknowledged skepticism and said issues that were identified as a result will be fixed.

While no system can be promoted as perfect, police crime statistics provide an essential tool. Any current shortcomings in the data also likely existed in previous years, which makes comparisons valid.

Yet those comparisons might surprise some who followed the municipal election, which was consumed by discussions about