Sudbury police bearing brunt of city's bear complaints

Police in Sudbury, Ont., have had to shoot three black bears in the past week and say the complaints are taking a toll on the entire force. 

"It's not getting any better," Staff Sgt. Craig Maki told CBC News. Police said the bear calls are affecting everyone from dispatchers to officers with the service.

"We've gone to 425 bear calls," Maki said. "That's over 200 man hours of police time." Police report they've received more than 1,200 calls about bears this year, twice as many as 2014.

• Bear cub falls from tree after mother shot by police

"I can tell you that the officers on the road are tired of bear complaints," he said. "Sometimes, it will push back other calls that aren't as high a priority," the officer said. 

Four officers were assigned to deal with a bear situation situation on Monday in New Sudbury when a bear sow was shot dead by an officer after attempts to sedate the animal failed. The bear became aggressive, charged a government worker and was killed, according to police.

The incident left two cubs motherless. CBC News has learned those cubs have been relocated to the Bear With Us sanctuary near Parry Sound, Ont. Mike McIntosh, who works at the rehabilitation centre, said the two cubs are doing well.