Greater Sudbury police have pledged an increased presence downtown, where they’ll put a stronger emphasis on the city’s homelessness and addictions issues.
“We are not trying to criminalize homelessness,” they said in the post of the Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) Downtown Visibility and Safety Initiative.
“Instead, we want to create a safe and respectful environment for everyone, especially those affected by addiction and homelessness. This will be supported through the Service Hub where vulnerable individuals will have access to essential services such as 24-hour warming spaces and washrooms.”
Although these proposed changes in service levels have been treated as a foregone conclusion in the GSPS media release, they will be voted on by city council members on Oct. 7.
Mayor Paul Lefebvre similarly promoted these changes in service levels to a crowd of approximately 500 people at Rotary Club luncheon Oct. 2, at which he described the mental health, opioids and homelessness crises as “the biggest challenge that I face, truly, as mayor.”
Sudbury.com has reached out to Greater Sudbury Police Service spokespeople to expand upon their intentions as part of a more robust story we’re working on. The Oct. 7 city council meeting will also be reported on.
For now, we have the social media post, in which GSPS cite a concentration of vulnerable people downtown alongside incidents of crime and social disorder.
“The rise in open drug use in public spaces has led to significant safety concerns among business owners, residents, and visitors,” they wrote.
The long-term solutions, such as affordable housing, mental health and addiction services, fall outside the scope of policing, they wrote, adding that police support investments in these areas.
“While our community works towards these long-term goals, GSPS is committed to promoting safety and reducing crime through a balanced, community-focused approach,” GSPS wrote. “We will continue working with community partners and advocacy groups to support vulnerable populations through the centralized Service Hub at Energy Court while ensuring public spaces remain safe and welcoming for everyone.”
As part of this effort, GSPS pledged to continue increasing police presence and visibility in the downtown core.
“Our approach prioritizes support and intervention, using enforcement and the Safer Municipalities Act only when necessary,” they wrote.
Among other things the Safer Municipalities Act gives police more power to seize illegal substances.
“Greater Sudbury’s opioid-related death rate is more than three times the provincial average,” they wrote. “Overdose is the leading cause of death for people under 49 in our city. This is a public health crisis. One that requires a coordinated, continuum of care rooted in harm reduction.”
Citing such issues as drug use, intoxication, littering, loitering, panhandling, trespassing and property crimes such as theft and mischief, GSPS said they’re aiming “to restore safety and accountability in public spaces. We believe safety means more than just avoiding harm – it also includes feeling safe and confident in public spaces. The community’s concerns about safety downtown are real and should not be ignored.”