There were 34,711 reported crimes in 1995 in Waterloo Region. This means that increases in the Region's population have not been matched by increases in reported crime. This Regional trend has followed the national trend of decreasing crime rates. In fact, in 1995 the Waterloo regional crime rate per 100,000 population was lower than the national and provincial crime rates. Waterloo Region also compares favourably with neighbouring areas such as London and Niagara.
Most communities are particularly concerned about the occurrence of violent crime.
This decrease in violent crime is more dramatic when one examines the rate of violent crime per 100,000 people. This means that the rate of population growth in the Region in the 1990s has not resulted in an increase in reported violent crime. By most statistical accounts, Waterloo Region is a safe community to live in. But Waterloo Region is also one of the largest urban areas in Canada and susceptible to urban problems. A violent crime was reported every 3 hours and 12 minutes, an assault was reported every 3.5 hours and a sexual assault was reported every day.