According to Statistics Canada, Winnipeg has more police officers per 100,000 people than all but three municipalities with populations of more than 500,000. With an increased number of calls for service, however, fewer incidents get officers to the doorstep. On a national scale, Winnipeg's crime rate is lower than a handful of large cities, but higher than most. The cost of policing is competitive, at $226 per capita. But policing, the largest single item in the city's operating budget, is eating up more and more of total funds.