Londoners weigh in on plans to hire 52 new police officers

London should be looking at ways to help people who are in mental health crisis instead of spending millions of dollars to hire more police officers that criminalize social problems, many advocates say. 

Their comments come on the heels of the London Police Service asking city council to approve plans to hire 52 new police officers to meet what Chief Steve Williams is calling an unprecedented demand in calls for help.

Addiction, mental health and homelessness are underlying issues impacting what officers see on the streets but adding officers is the only way to catch up to the demand, Williams said. 

But that's exactly why money should be spent on getting to the root of those issues — to treat mental illness, address addiction and get people housing, said Brett Batten, a mental health advocate and educator who said interactions with police for marginalized people can be terrifying and traumatic. 

Based on starting and progressive salaries, the 52 officers will cost between $3 million and $6 million annually. 

CBC asked advocates of London's BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Colour) communities, and those who work with people experiencing mental illness, how they would feel if there were more officers on the streets. 

Answers have been edited for length.  

Alexandra Kane, Black Lives Matter (BLM) spokesperson 

Kane said if approved by city council, it would be an investment in policing people who are experiencing a crisis.  

"Instead of the police asking for more money to hire more people, they should be advocating for stronger mental health supports," said Kane. 

"We're investing in a lot of Band-Aids," she added, "And not investing in the cure." 

She said she worried about the possibility of an increased police presence, citing concerns over racial biases that often lead to carding and aggression. 

"There's no guarantee police can come forward and say, 'we fixed our racism problem, there's nobody on this force that is racist,'" she said.  "If you can't guarantee that bias will not exist in policing, then you shouldn't be hiring more people to do that work." 

Casper Marcus, rapper and BLM supporter 

"As a part of the Black Lives Matter movement, one of our main objectives was to defund the police," said Marcus. "It wasn't exactly about taking away from it. It was about 'let's look at other avenues,' [because] maybe this isn't always the solution." 

In addition to reallocating funding to support services, he said a longer term solution also lies in building a healthy local culture and community. 

"I love London, but it just seems like it is a college town. Sometimes people treat it as if there's a cycle of people that come in every three years and then it's just back to how it is," he said.  

"And I feel like if we put some more emphasis on understanding the city as a whole and bringing back stuff like, for example, Gus Macker or just city events where everybody was out there and interacting, I think maybe we can start doing stuff more like that, more community-oriented things where people will take pride more in being in this city, less than just feeling fearful now because there's more police presence."  

Gal Harper, musician and community activist  

"Putting more officers on the streets and having them respond to calls that they shouldn't be responding to, it's really just making it even harder for us to get to that long term solution," said Harper, who said he was disappointed with Chief Williams.  

"If he knows what the solutions are, then perhaps he could help us petition the government to provide those resources," he added. 

Harper said preventative policing and more patrols may make residents of a particular area feel safe, but it doesn't get people the help they need. 

He said the funding for the officers could instead go to expanding mental health initiatives, alleviating the housing crisis, and addressing food insecurity. 

"When people are resorting [to] nonviolent crime, it's out of desperation," he said. "We've got that line where there's people who have and people who don't have, and that's where you get the crime rate going up." 

He added now is the time to try something new beyond hiring more officers, given the existing awareness and education surrounding possible alternatives. 

Sara Mai Chitty, Anishinaabekwe storyteller, educator and member of Alderville First Nation

"I think that this is a unique opportunity to explore different ways to approach those issues, because while I understand that police, unfortunately, are the first responder to these situations, that these situations are created by all of us not doing anything about poverty, and not by not doing anything about making mental health resources more accessible," said Chitty.

Chitty said it's time for decision-makers to consider intersections of oppression and explore other solutions beyond policing. 

"[Policing] is not going to help the things that are happening. What it's doing is further criminalizing people who have mental health issues, who are using substances, who are unhoused. It just further criminalizes people who are experiencing intergenerational trauma," she said, adding many of the issues London faces are related to overarching global problems. 

"I invite the police chief and city council to actually put an effort into understanding what other solutions are possible. But that would involve listening to voices that typically don't get listened to. And it would probably involve putting money into different services that typically people don't like to see their tax dollars go toward. And it would require public education about how to create safer communities." 

She emphasized the importance of police and politicians working with existing services that support marginalized populations. 

"What we need is a place to go. What we need is help. What we need is mental health services, safe consumption sites. And I just think that millions of dollars could go toward that instead of more people criminalizing people for existing the best they can in circumstances that our society has created for them."  

Brett Batten, mental health advocate and educator

Batten said he would rather see the funding go to hiring those with expertise in addictions and mental health. 

"We don't go to the blacksmith for a loaf of bread," he told CBC via Twitter. "Police are the most expensive and unprepared agents. Why pay $64,000 for someone trained in enforcement when we could call on individuals who are trained in mental health to not only provide solutions but do so more economically." 

He said the stigma and trauma of having the police intervene in health care is "incalculable," and making addictions and mental health a police issue perpetuates the criminalization of mental health. 

He added that being in crisis is bewildering, confusing, frightening and often traumatic. 

"Compassion, familiarity and empathy can ease some of this distress. Now, remember what it feels like when the police pull you over. Is it calming? People don't become police officers so they can be nurses."