London police chief launches new strategy to curb blatant drug use in public

London, Ont., police officers will no longer pass by people who are using illegal drugs on city streets and will instead try to talk to them and get them help, the police chief said Tuesday.

Starting Wednesday, the new approach, dubbed Project Pathways, will enable officers to crack down on open-air drug use, which has made downtown, midtown and Old East Village feel unsafe, Chief Thai Truong said. Officers will also arrest people and take away their drugs if they become combative, he added.

"One of the complaints in this community is that open drug use is occurring, and our officers are just walking by. We've heard that loud and clear. We're expecting our officers to engage. There's an expectation they will engage," he said. "We need to pivot."

All the officers involved in the project will have body-worn cameras, Truong said, and have undergone additional training to deal with people who might be high or coming off drugs. Officers will work alongside mental health and addiction workers, he added.

"Part of this is about outreach, about policing with kindness and compassion. Arrest is not the first course of action. We have to ask, 'What does that person need?' If an individual is not compliant, then enforcement is an option."

In most cases, people using drugs need help, and that's what officers will try to offer them. But, those who have a "complete disregard for others will be held to account," Truong said. "This is about balanced enforcement when appropriate."

It'll be up to officers to decide if they should arrest someone or arrest and charge them, but either way, illegal drugs will be confiscated, Truong said.

The project will be re-evaluated in six months to see if it should be made permanent.

Right now, one or two teams of foot patrol officers walk the beat. That will increase to three or four teams. Some teams will be paired with workers with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Thames Valley.

"This collaboration builds on existing partnerships ... The current demand outweighs our capacity to provide care to those who want it in our community. Through partnerships, we can continue to expand our reach. We will direct people to our community programs that are tailored to their needs," said Pam Tobin, CEO of CMHA Thames Valley.

"By meeting people where they are, we remove barriers, ease system navigation, and ensure that support is delivered with compassion and respect."

Funding from the program will come from the existing police budget.

For business owners such as Kadhim Hasan, who owns a variety store at Dundas and Clarence streets, it's a small step in the right direction. "We need more to be done, clearly," he said after listening to the news conference at the police station.

"We have to deal with the roots of the problem. That's very important, because it affects every society and community. The problem is much bigger than just local people can solve."

Bonnie Wludyka, the property manager at Citi Plaza, in the heart of downtown, said she's hopeful the new approach will work. "It's a good strategy to get started with," she said. "I think it will be fluid, and I think that's important. To be too regimented at this point, we probably wouldn't see the results."

Officers will walk the beat and get to know people who need help, Truong said. They'll work alongside outreach workers from London Cares, who are on the street every day helping people.

"We have really solid relationships with people; they know every single person out on the street, so they're going to leverage those relationships to create trust and make sure there is care for people," said Chris Moss, the executive director of London Cares.