The number of calls to the service continues to rise every year, and Chief Sylvie Hauth says criminal activity related to drug trafficking in the city is pushing the Thunder Bay Police Service to the limit.
THUNDER BAY – The reality of policing has changed significantly in the city of Thunder Bay in recent years, and with addictions, drug trafficking, and a continued increase in calls for services, the police chief says the service does not have the resources to meet the needs of the police Local community.
“Our resources are at the limit and we do not have the resources to address this population,” said Sylvie Hauth, chief of police in Thunder Bay, during a presentation to the Police Services Board on Tuesday.
In September 2021, Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro called for a report on the transfer of frontline officials to the service and whether something can be done to meet the growing demand for calling.
On Tuesday, Hauth made a breakdown of the number of civil servants deployed in the community and the workload they are facing.
“It was imperative that board members, as well as the community, understand the realities of policing in Thunder Bay,” she said.
“I can say that the drug culture landscape has changed dramatically in the past two years. Drug trafficking, house takeovers and firearms have all increased in the community. “
According to Hauth, Thunder Bay police executed 67 drug orders between January and November 2021, resulting in 310 arrests, of which 192 involved people from outside the city.
During the same period, 767 criminal charges were filed, including 453 drug offenses, 21 firearms, and $ 3.3 million in drugs and $ 938,758 in cash.
“While our officers do an amazing job, the lucrative nature of drug trafficking makes it a never-ending battle,” Hauth said.
Southern Ontario gangs travel to the city to sell illegal street drugs for more than double what cities like Toronto or Ottawa do. This market leads to more crime, including takeover and gun violence.
Hauth said there are between 50 and 75 drug houses in the town of Thunder Bay. A drug house can bring in up to $ 2,800 a day, and the estimated annual drug profit in the city is about $ 46 million.
Drug trafficking is taking another significant toll on the community, with 300 overdoses reported between January and November 2021, of which 77 were fatal.
Mauro raised the issue that many drug offenders arrested are often released on bail only to return to the city to continue engaging in criminal activity.
Noting that mayors of major cities across the province are pushing for bail reforms, he added that perhaps the Police Services Board should also have their say in the conversation.
“We’re seeing a lot of people being released conditionally,” said Hauth. “The frustration for us is that even people who have been released on conditions leave temporarily and be right back.”
The police service received more than 51,000 service calls in 2021
Illicit drug trafficking isn’t the only challenge facing Thunder Bay police. It continues to experience high levels of service calls each year, many of which may not require a police response.
According to Hauth, the police received more than 51,000 service calls between January and November 2021, of which only 20 percent were criminal in nature.
“We continue to catch a lot of calls that shouldn’t prohibit a response,” she said. “We continue to deal with matters that should be directed to other social institutions.”
This high volume of calls and rising crime rates place a strain on officials and resources on the front lines. Hauth used the example of time commitments for certain types of calls, including five hours for a physical injury call, four hours for domestic violence, two hours for a alcohol license violation, five hours for a mental health call with a suicide attempt, and 25 Hours of Sudden Death Investigation.
In 2021 alone, the Thunder Bay Police Service conducted 321 investigations into sudden deaths.
“The officers ‘current workload and pressures on the service have an impact on the officers’ moral and mental health,” Hauth said. “You handle time-consuming, labor-intensive, and sometimes complex calls.”
While Statistics Canada estimates the population of Thunder Bay at 118,739, a new report by Anishnawbe Mushkiki estimates that the actual population could be between 132,000 and 151,000.
“This is important and has a huge impact on our policing,” said Hauth. “As a service, we are unable to be effective and meet all of these needs.”
Mauro first requested the report to see if there was any way to redeploy officers to meet the growing call volume.
Of the current sworn members of the Thunder Bay Police Service, 55 percent are frontline patrol officers, 29.5 percent in the Criminal Investigation Branch and Intelligence Unit, 9.5 percent in the Community Services Branch, and six percent in court security and management.
Mauro asked Hauth if the high membership in the Criminal Police Department was due to a recommendation in the report of the Independent Police Examination Board’s office, to which the Board was not bound.
“We have implemented many of the recommendations and are continuing to work on others,” he said. “Are you investing in this particular unit because you think it is right, or are you doing it because the OIPRD report recommended it?”
“The Serious Crime Department is a mandated unit with very specific criteria related to its work,” said Hauth. “Investments, even without a recommendation, require that we provide the appropriate resources and call volume.”
Going forward, Hauth said, it will look for options for a new service delivery model driven by data and the strategic plan that could include triaging service calls, differentiating calls from online or callback services, and uniting entities.
Hauth will report on deployment strategies to the Police Services Board in the spring.
