Peterborough\u2019s Chief of Police Stuart Betts announced a change in their official stance on policing drug-use in public spaces to \"no tolerance.\"<\/p>\n
\u201cEffective today, we are launching our Safer Public Spaces approach, which is a no-tolerance approach to open-air illicit drug-use,\u201d says Betts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt means members of this community can expect police officers will not tolerate people injecting, and smoking up, in front of public places; places where our community members should feel safe,\u201d Betts added.<\/p>\n
Betts partially attributed the change in policy to recent community responses to their Community Safety & Wellness plan, in which only 48 per cent of community responses identified feeling \u201csafe\u201d or \u201cvery safe\u201d in Peterborough. The chief of police believes that open-air illicit drug-use in Peterborough is contributing to this perceived lack of public safety.<\/p>\n
This plan will include an increase in responses to community reports about public drug-use. Betts added that there will be additional accountability on the Peterborough Police to respond to phoned-in reports quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt also means that our officers are empowered, as they are patrolling our streets, [\u2026] to stop and tell people, if they are engaged in that behavior, they need to move along. This is no longer tolerable on our streets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they do not comply with that, the public needs to be aware, our officers have been told that possession of those drugs is still illegal. People will be arrested, they will be searched, and those drugs will be seized.\u201d<\/p>\n
Betts followed by ensuring that the intent of this announcement is not to \u201ccriminalize anybody who has an addiction.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur intent is to ensure they are provided with the resources and direction they need about where to go to safely consume these substances,\u201d says Betts.<\/p>\n
Betts says that Peterborough Police officers will now carry pamphlets containing information about 24-hour addiction services, and where people can find help. Officers will offer these pamphlets to anyone who is found consuming illicit drugs in public spaces.<\/p>\n
Peterborough Police will be the first community in Ontario, and second in Canada, to adopt a \u2018zero-tolerance\u2019 stance to promote public safety. Betts says that Edmonton, AB implemented a similar policy at the beginning of September 2023.<\/p>\n
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