THUNDER BAY - Members of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board continue to push for options to increase the number of frontline police officers deployed in the city, but Thunder Bay Police Service chief Sylvie Hauth expressed concerns that the board is straying from strategic purview and into day-to-day operational matters.
A motion was brought forward by Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro during the Thunder Bay Police Services Board meeting on Tuesday asking the board direct Hauth to prepare a report outlining options for increasing the number of officers deployed to the front line in uniform patrol positions.
Mauro said he appreciates that there are a number of competing priorities facing the police service and deployment has to be positioned to meet the needs of the community.
“But the calls I get as a publicly elected person seems to underscore the idea that the frontline service is undermanned,” he said.
“There are significant periods of time when we don’t seem to have enough people on the road and we are starting to get into the exercise of triaging and having to prioritize what we do and what we respond to. That is not a criticism, that is just a reality of what the frontline officers are facing and you as a police service.”
Mauro added the purpose of the motion is to receive some options on what can be done to put more officers in a position to respond on the frontline.
“This is not about criminalizing any particular activities, it’s about meeting the needs of the community,” he said. “I know it’s a challenging time but the core for me is supporting the people out on the front line and the ability to respond to members of the public as quickly as we are able to do so.”
Police Services Board member Michael Power agreed with Mauro’s motion, saying he has also received calls from the public about the number of officers available to respond to calls for service.
Power asked Hauth if she could also provide information on ratios of officers and how the city of Thunder Bay compares to other jurisdictions around the province in terms of deployment numbers.
“We do not operate in a vacuum. We have weekly conversations, especially with northwest agencies in the province, as well as the rest of the province,” Hauth said.
“We are very reactive in nature in terms of the types of calls we see. When you talk about ratio, it’s not really about ratios, it’s about providing adequate and effective services. That is mandated to me through the Police Services Act. That is where we need to keep our aspect, is not only reactive which we do every day, but also proactive.”
But Hauth raised concerns about the motion as it was presented, saying the Police Services Board provides her with direction through the strategic plan, but this request is straying into operational matters.
“My concerns right now when you ask in terms of deployment and what I do on a day-to-day basis, you are now in the operational field of what I do as chief,” Hauth said. “Asking a deployment question, which is operational in nature, is not the purview of the board, it is an operational aspect.”
Secretary of the board, John Hannam, said he reviewed the wording of the motion carefully with Mauro, as there were concerns it was crossing the operational line, which he said is not well defined.
“I would point out that the wording asks the chief to present options. The development of those options and impact of what each of them will be, is something the chief can present to the board and then the board is better informed to the whole circumstance,” he said.
“It helps address the public’s concerns as well. I think the motion is within the board’s purview. To suggest the board only directs the chief through the strategic plan is a bit too narrow as well.”
Mauro added that he understands the police service receives many calls for service that take up a lot of time. And while steps are being taken to reduce the burden on frontline officers, including looking to the province for support on addictions and mental health services, crime remains is a serious issue in the city of Thunder Bay.
“We are losing neighbourhoods. There are parts of the city where people do not feel safe, where seniors will not go out for a walk, where parents will not let their kids outside and play after a certain time, that we do not have the capacity to respond to. It’s nobody’s fault,” Mauro said.
“I am not looking to get into your kitchen operationally. I am looking for options. We have a responsibility as a board that the public is aware that we hear their concerns and we are looking for solutions.”
The motion was passed by the Police Services Board requesting a report on options for deployment no later than the November 2021 meeting.
