THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Police Services Board is promising to ensure police officers "have everything they need to do their jobs effectively."
The Thunder Bay Police Association, however, says it's still waiting for results.
The commitment from the police board came in a letter to the association made public Tuesday, in response to sharp criticism of the police service leadership from the association which represents about 350 officers and civilian staff.
On Friday, the TBPA charged in an Op-Ed that officers are not receiving adequate support or resources from the police service.
It referred to a 27 per cent increase in Thunder Bay's Violent Crime Severity Index, as measured by Statistics Canada, from 2016 to 2020, and to a rise in the use of guns and in gang-related crime in the city.
The police association said a member survey earlier this year showed high levels of dissatisfaction among frontline officers with staffing levels, with the degree to which management values their feedback, with supports for mental health and wellness, and with support on current issues and media coverage about policing.
"Over 66 per cent stated that staffing levels have caused them concern for members or community safety," the TBPA said.
TBPA President Colin Woods said the association shared the results of the survey with police administration and the police board last May, but to date "no meaningful actions have been taken...and members' morale continues to trend downward."
But Kristen Oliver, chair of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board, replied Tuesday that the board wants "to ensure that we are doing everything we can to make our community safe and supporting our workforce."
Oliver noted that the board met with the police association last May and took its concerns "very seriously."
In fact, she said, that meeting was the catalyst "in ensuring the association's voice was prominent and included in the board's new strategic plan released just last month.
Oliver said the board's vision is to be a progressive, trusted and ethical leader, and that Thunder Bay is among the safest and best-protected cities in Canada.
"Collaboration and empowering our workforce are extremely important to us," she said.
Oliver pointed to a number of measures which she said are aimed at fostering a corporate culture of holistic health and wellness, including:
- a leading-edge Health, Safety and Wellness strategy
- providing the workforce with the necessary people, training space and equipment to safely and effectively perform its duties
- working with sworn members and civilian members to address top concerns in the workplace
Oliver said the TBPA has been an active participant in strategic planning
Police board chair says the board and the city are advocating for more government support
"COVID-19 has put additional strain on our service. Mental health, addictions and homelessness are very real in our communities [Thunder Bay and Oliver Paipoonge). We recognize that a police officer's work is challenging, which is why we are committed to additional supports," she said.
Oliver added that the board is working actively with the city's Intergovernmental Affairs Committee to advocate for better services and resources to support people in crisis with addictions, deteriorating mental health and homelessness, and said it's committed to engaging all levels of government on these issues.
Her letter did not specifically address the police association's concerns about staffing levels.
In an interview, Woods said the association decided to go public with its concerns "because no action had been taken at the police service."
"You know, we can tell them all day long what the issues are. They're the ones in power to make those changes happen, and nothing has happened at this point that in my members' eyes have made our workplace better," Woods said.
He said his members do their job "proudly" but added, "We need things to improve, whether resources for more people on the road, issues in the workplace that need to be addressed. Those things...need to be fixed in order for us to do our jobs more effectively."
Thunder Bay Police Chief Sylvie Hauth has not responded to the TBPA's criticism of the police service leadership.
Oliver said in an interview after releasing her letter to Woods that the police board does "not dive into the weeds of the operation....We are responsible to oversee the work that the chief and the deputy chief are responsible for in terms of delivering the resources that our uniform and civilian staff require."
However, she added, "We certainly are concerned with what [the police association members] are expressing. Anyone of us with eyes would certainly see that our city is in crisis right now. I feel for our police service. I know we're having the same discussions with EMS. A lot of our frontline responders are incredibly alarmed at what we're seeing, both on the criminal element, the guns and the gangs and everything else that's coming into this community."
Oliver said "we have to further dive into some collaborative approach now, and ensuring that the chief and the deputy chief are listening to the association, and that we are working collectively to address their needs, but better yet to serve the policing needs of this community."
She agreed that many Thunder Bay residents are becoming increasingly concerned about their safety.
"The mayor has put a motion forward with police services to look at the deployment of officers...maybe we need to re-shift some of those officers to be delivering some of the frontline services that our community needs. I think we're taking a really fulsome and strategic look right now as to how policing is deployed in this community and in Oliver Paipoonge."
Oliver said she expects the police board will now utilize its resources "to bring everybody together so that we can start working in a collaborative approach."
NOTE: A previous version of this story has been updated to include Kristen Oliver's responses to questions posed to her during an interview
