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Cops looking into the impact of the low barrier homeless shelter

'The service is aware of it and we are prepared to respond for those increases'
2020 chippewa low barrier homeless shelter
File photo by Chris Dawson/BayToday.

North Bay police are doing more research into the impact that the new low barrier shelter on Chippewa Street is having on the service. 

"What we have done is we have asked for our statistician to provide a report in regards to what our response has been to the sheltering system in North Bay to give us an indication, as the sheltering system grows, how does that affect the police service directly," stated North Bay Police Chief Scott Tod.  

"So yes, we have an anticipated workload increase."

Tod says the issue is not only crime, it is also the amount of missing persons calls that arise relating to the shelter.  

"For example, someone who is expected to be at a shelter, or be in a sheltering system who does not appear, or does not show up for a couple of days," explains Tod.  

"We do get a report from the social services who look after it, about missing persons in the city of North Bay. Like all vulnerable people, there is a responsibility for the police to respond and attempt to find those people."

Tod says they are also looking into the number of calls for service they are receiving within a three-block area of the low barrier shelter.    

"The service is aware of it and we are prepared to respond for those increases," he said.  


Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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