THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s Police Chief Darcy Fleury is trying to build back trust with a series of question and answer sessions around the city.
At an event on Wednesday, Fleury told Newswatch the purpose of the Chat with the Chief events is to not only be a presence in the community with boots on the ground, but to hear the concerns from the people who feel unsafe in Thunder Bay’s neighbourhoods.
He stopped in at St. Joseph Care group to field questions from the public about mental health and addiction; however, some of the questions from the public covered topics like foot patrols and bail reform.
Fleury said in an interview with Newswatch that mental health and addiction aligns with the guns and gangs profile as an interconnected problem, which is why the Thunder Bay Police Service is taking steps to partner with agencies like St. Joseph Care Group to make sure there is a wrap-around system in place.
“It’s not always enforcement and just having that awareness," Fleury said. "We really need to put some emphasis on helping those people and get them out of that lifestyle and make sure that they have every opportunity to be healthy in this community.”
Between January and August, the police service responded to nearly 1,500 calls to police in relation to mental health issues.
Fleury said those calls put a strain on resources.
“That's a really big impact on us," said the chief. "On occasions where I've been coming to the office, I see all of our vehicles at the hospital. It's a real strain on the resources because we just cannot leave somebody that's in some sort of crisis or having some sort of episode."
Some officers travel with a mental health worker to help alleviate the pressure; that team can assess the mental health condition of the person in need help and get them to the right care. Fleury said he would like to see the program expand.
Earlier this year, Superior North EMS also announced their STAR program where a mental health worker and paramedic respond to less violent situations where they can make the most impact.
“That's another plus to the service because we're not responding to those calls and we can work together and triage it individually so that we're not having to spend more resources,” Fleury said.
During the Q&A, a city resident asked Fleury about the decline in preventative work like foot patrols.
She explained she has noticed a significant drop in patrolling around the waterfront business sector.
“Some are locking their doors and you have to ring in. Some are having things stolen right off of their shelving saying I need this more than you do. Why don't we have a presence?” she asked.
Fleury acknowledged it’s frustrating for small businesses that need to lock their doors and allow patrons in one at a time.
"We're focused on this," said Fleury. "It is not something that we're just like done and over. We’re working with some businesses in the community and stuff like that with some plans. It's just really, it's poor behaviour and we just have to address that.”
Another resident asked Fleury, in terms of guns and gangs, how fast do criminal cases go through the justice system.
Her concern is those offenders who are release on bail and re-offending while they wait for a court date.
“It is a concern across the board, across the country,” said Fleury. “I have seen it in some of the other provinces where I've been, where our team goes out, and they do a fantastic job. They get the person incarcerated and by the time you get to the office they are out.”
“So, this is a real problem that needs to be addressed. It's a policing and it's a justice concern as well. I mean, how do we make sure these people aren’t just getting out," he added.
