More than 35 arrests in 3 weeks in downtown Guelph as police service increases officer presence

More than 35 people have been arrested three weeks after police in Guelph said they were increasing the number of officers in the downtown core.

Chief Gordon Cobey told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition in October that the increased number of officers was because the service had received complaints about open drug use and concerns about public safety in the downtown area.

Every day since late October, the Guelph Police Service has sent extra officers — a sergeant and four constables — to the downtown to patrol the area. In a press release on Friday, the service said the officers have seized a multitude of drugs like fentanyl, crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia. 

Scott Tracey, a spokesperson for the Guelph Police Service, said this follows several other initiatives done in the past year or so, including pairing a dedicated downtown officer with a mental health worker and already having officers from each platoon that are tasked with downtown patrol. 

"Despite all of those initiatives, we're hearing from the community that they don't feel safe downtown and that there is still an issue," Tracey said in an interview Friday.

Tracey said their data shows the instances of drug overdoses are four times higher in the downtown than they are in any other neighbourhood in Guelph. 

The officers are focused now on enforcing the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act or Criminal Code, while being "mindful," according to a statement made by Chief Gord Cobey in a news release. 

While 35 arrests have been made, only seven led to charges.

The rest, Tracey said, have been issued warnings or have taken further steps to get access to social services or rehabilitation programs. Some have been referred to Welcoming Streets or the Integrated Mobile Police and Crisis Team (IMPACT).

"People say that possessing illicit substances is illegal, so why don't you just arrest everybody?" Tracey said. "But I think that ignores that it really is a health issue as well." 

The goal of an arrest, Tracey said, is to make a connection that will not necessarily result in a charge.

There have even been instances of what Guelph police call "proactive engagements." In one example, officers were approached by a man who was in need of immediate assistance that they were able to provide. 

Tracey said the response has been positive so far, and that the service believes any sort of concerns of tension around increased police presence has not been felt. 

"People who are not comfortable with the police will not be comfortable with us, whether there's one person walking around once a day or an initiative like this," Tracey said. 

As for the longevity of the program, Tracey said there's no end date in mind. 

"If there is a need being expressed in the community and being experienced by our officers, we're going to keep doing it," he said.