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HomeNewsPolice See Spike In Calls For Service In 2024

Police See Spike In Calls For Service In 2024

KAWARTHA LAKES-Kawartha Lakes Police Service (KLPS) received almost 17,000 calls for service in 2024. That up from just over 15,000 in 2023.

The statistics for 2024 were presented to the Police Services Board today in Lindsay.

Almost all types of crime were on the rise in 2024. Criminal incidents jumped from 1164 in 2022 and 1832 in 2023 to 2160 in 2024. Drug incidents went from 67 in 2023 to 77 in 2024. Fraud, break and entering, assaults and thefts were all up last year.

Chief Kirk Robertson says officers have been working hard to reduce the numbers.

“We are working very collaboratively with numerous agencies in the community already in order to try and reduce some of these. We do have referral programs with John Howard Society, we are also working with our partners through Forecast and through the Ross to assist those who are struggling with some homelessness, addictions and mental health in order to assist them so they aren’t finding themselves to be in a position that they are out sometimes committing crime.” Robertson told the board.

The service has also hired 6 new police constables and one sergeant.

“Our platoons will be increasing. We have two platoons now that have already increased to seven so thats an extra officer on each shift and with some planned hires through the budgeting process we will be hiring two more officers later this year who will then supplement the other two shifts and bringing them up to seven.” explained Robertson.

Along with that KLPS is adding a Special Constable to each shift to help alleviate some of the workload b taking over duties such as MVC reports etc.

The board heard that 32 members spent 1572 hours in advanced in-person training in 2024 and approximately 500 additional training hours online. One member attended an FBI leadership course. Every member also completes a personal wellness training program whether they are new, experienced or coming from another service. All of this pushed them over budget for training.

“I think training is a necessary evil, ” said retiring Inspector Tom Hickey. “It we don’t do it, it’s a failure on our part and a failure for our members.”

“We talked about the need for training and justifying the costs and it’s one of those things where what if you train someone and they leave which is always an option but on the flip side of that what if you don’t train them and they stay?” said Chief Robertson.

Of those 16,737 calls for service, officers pointed or drew a firearm 11 times in 2024.

Police say the majority of incidents where a handgun was drawn, or a firearm was pointed involved a high-risk situation or weapons call. In 2024, officers responded in this nature to five incidents where firearms were involved and one incident involving knives or edged weapons. Four of the incidents, a weapon was recovered. On all occasions the firearms were drawn and/or pointed to affect an arrest, two of which was for the arrest of suspects at break and enters in progress.

Officers drew a Taser on one occasion in 2024; the CEW was deployed to incapacitate a dog that was attacking its’ owner.

In Ontario, all police officers are required* to submit a “Use of Force Report” in any of the following circumstances: Anytime a member draws a handgun in the presence of the public. Anytime a member discharges a firearm in the course of their duties. When a weapon, other than a firearm, is used on a member of the public** When any force is used that results in an injury that requires medical attention. Use of force includes expandable batons, aerosol weapons (OC Spray), and conducted energy weapons (Taser or CEW)

A supervisor and a training officer review all Use of Force Reports submitted by KLPS officers to ensure compliance with Provincial legislation and our own policies on the use of force.

16 complaints were filed against KLPS officers in 2024, up from 14 in 2023.  Seven of the complaints were for Neglect of Duty. One is still under investigation, and another was substantiated. Police say that involved a rookie officer who did not file a report as required. Below is a chart of all of the complaints and how they were resolved.

“The number of complaints against officers from our Police Service are relatively low when compared to the number of interactions that officers had with members of the public last year.This represents a complaint percentage of 0.0009%. This is a reflection of the professionalism that members of the Kawartha Lakes Police Service exhibit every day.” said police in the report.

 

 

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Pamela Vanmeer
Pamela Vanmeerhttps://www.kawartha411.ca/
Pamela VanMeer is a two time winner of the prestigious Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) Award. Her investigative reports on abuse in Long Term Care Homes garnered international attention for the issue and won the Ron Laidlaw Award. She is a former reporter and anchor at CHEX News, now Global Peterborough and helped launch the New CHEX Daily, a daily half hour talk show. While at CHCH News in Hamilton she covered some of the biggest news stories of the day.

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