According to Statistics Canada Crime Severity Index, cannabis, cocaine and other drug trafficking are getting worse in North Bay.
See: North Bay fares poorly in sexual assaults and drug trafficking: Maclean's survey
North Bay Police Chief Shawn Devine agrees that's a problem but says it's not just a policing issue but a societal one.
"We have to work with educators, addiction researchers and hospitals.
"In all seriousness, we could put three, four or five more officers into it but incarcerating people wouldn't solve the drug problem. We have some very dedicated front-line officers that really do care. They're not interested in incarcerating people, they're interested in reducing the risk to people.
"The only way we're going to be able to tackle that is with a cooperative approach with everyone at the same table saying 'what's the root cause, why is it more prevalent in North Bay as opposed to other places?'"
See the statistics in the North Bay Police 2016 Annual Report
