Sarnia Police reported progress in clearing cases in 2024. But with violent crime severity also reaching a record high, the numbers raise broader questions about enforcement and safety.
Sarnia Police reported its highest-ever weighted clearance rate in 2024, according to new data released by Statistics Canada.
The weighted clearance rate measures the proportion of police-reported crimes considered solved or “cleared,” with more serious offences contributing more to the total. A case is counted as cleared when police lay a charge or determine that no further action is possible, such as when a suspect is underage or the victim declines to press charges.
According to Statistics Canada, Sarnia’s weighted clearance rate rose to 39.25 per cent in 2024.
At the same time, the city’s Violent Crime Severity Index (Violent CSI) reached its highest level on record. The index reflects both the volume and seriousness of violent crimes reported to police. The increase was driven in part by four homicides, an unusually high number for the city.
Sarnia’s Violent CSI rose by 11.5 per cent in 2024, according to Statistics Canada. During the same period, the police service’s violent weighted clearance rate rose by 22.4 per cent, while the non-violent weighted clearance rate increased by 18.9 per cent. These measures reflect both increased enforcement activity and the growing severity of crimes being reported.
The Crime Severity Index (CSI), developed in 2009, was designed to go beyond simple crime counts by giving more weight to serious offences. For example, a robbery or aggravated assault contributes more to a community’s CSI score than property damage or theft under $5,000.
Nationally, the overall CSI declined by four per cent in 2024, only the second decrease in a decade, with most of the drop tied to non-violent crime. Violent CSI also declined slightly across Canada, with lower rates of robbery, sexual assault and aggravated assault. Sarnia’s Violent CSI, however, rose against that trend.
One factor in the local clearance rate may be the 650 per cent increase in non-consensual image distribution charges reported by police in 2024. These cases often involve digital evidence and identifiable suspects, which can lead to faster investigations and a higher likelihood of charges. Police have not provided a breakdown showing how this increase affected the city’s overall clearance statistics.
Sarnia Police have also been seeking funding for a new $91-million police headquarters. The city council has approved land and early planning for the project, and a contingency fund has been included in the 2025 draft budget; however, full funding has not yet been committed.
As the city considers future investments in policing, residents may look more closely at how these numbers are used, and what they actually measure.
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