THUNDER BAY — Local business leaders are concerned with the visibility of police in business areas, prioritization of theft investigations, and allocation of police resources in the city.
In a round table discussion with Thunder Bay police chief Darcy Fleury, the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce and the local business association discussed some of the challenges business owners are facing.
President of the chamber Charla Robinson said it was a productive conversation.
“People came to the table with their frustrations but also in a positive way recognizing that we all need to be part of the solution,” Robinson said.
Robinson said Fleury talked about changes to social services, like the introduction of the Superior North Specialized Treatment and Alternative Responders (STAR) program.
“Enforcement isn't the only answer to some of the challenges we're facing," said Fleury. "We know that there are layers to these challenges, and how that could also help to relieve some of the pressure on the force. And make sure that the people who need help are getting the right help, rather than the police perhaps dealing with them when that's not really a policing issue."
The STAR program allows for a crisis support worker to accompany officers and paramedics to provide on-scene intervention, de-escalation and emotional support in certain situations where police and emergency medical services (EMS) do not need to be involved.
The program intends to reduce the load on police service and EMS by allowing crisis support workers to take over freeing the officers or paramedics to focus on where they are needed the most.
According to Robinson, the discussion also touched on the question of increasing police presence in business areas.
“With the number of calls that the police are seeing, they talked about how, many of those calls would be a priority where there's a sort of a life-and-limb danger and so that's where the force gets pulled to,” Robinson said.
“Unfortunately, a theft situation where there isn't a person in danger is a bit of a secondary priority and so that was one of the challenges that was discussed.”
According to Robinson, Fleury said that the police service is consulting with an expert to review their resources and see where they can free up some funds, and that more will come to light on the review in the new year.
However, Robinson said business owners at the round table would like to see the perception of presence.
“So even things as simple as having cruisers that are adjusting their routes, so that they're taking multiple streets in an area, so that they're seen maybe more on their way to other work or back and forth. That could also be a way to just raise the visibility of the force without actually adding to the resource requirements,” said Robinson.
“Those were some of the things that the police chief was going to take back and talk to his team about, some simple ways to just raise that visibility."
Robinson said the big takeaway from the round table is how the business community and police can work together to help mitigate crime.
Robinson said the police do not advocate for citizens to take crime prevention into their own hands, but conducting open dialogue with one another is a good step to raising awareness of crime in the area.
“The need for everyone to work together and to look for kind of unique solutions from other jurisdictions, or even neighbours talking to neighbours. So that people are connected and informed about what's happening, as a way to raise that awareness of what's happening, which can also help to reduce incidents,” Robinson said.
