Police calls up over last year

Deputy Mayor Sheldon Forgette takes his place on the North Bay Police Services Board.

Crime stats are down but police are dealing with 10 more calls each day over the last year.

On Wednesday, the North Bay Police Services Board heard the Statistical report from Deputy Chief Shawn Devine. Devine says the number of people charged are down but police activity is up with the total for the past year estimated to be 30,000 police activities. Devine says 80% of the calls are not police correlated.

“The calls could be about mental health; parents not getting along with their kids; or disputes between neighbors. Police are dealing with social issues that have been downloaded.”

In October alone, there were 2315 calls for police activity in 2014, compared to 2169 in 2013. Devine added it's hard on resources with seven fewer staff members since the summer. "We had two police officers quit, two retired, and one passed away. Our organization has 93 sworn members with 46 in frontline policing so with the numbers down, it has an effect. The workload still has to be spread out."

The number of people with criminal charges are down 260 this year over last. Devine questions whether criminal activity is down or if people are not calling in to report certain crimes. 

The increasing need for police could have an effect on the budget. Deputy Chief Devine says when he started policing, it might have taken 25 steps to have a person charged and convicted. Now it takes 109 steps due to judicial authorization. The Chatham-Kent police force has centered on ways to be more efficient and has the steps to conviction down to 63. 

"We are trying to do the same job, with increased pressures, with the same amount of dollars. We are going to have to look at what does the public want to do."

Devine says the elderly population in North Bay is estimated to rise to 57% in the next five years. He added that health issues of dementia and alzhiemers will be challenging for the local force.