Despite perceptions, stats show downtown Sudbury is safe, police chief says

Sudbury's Police Chief says he's debunking a perception that the downtown core is dangerous and crime-ridden.

Chief Paul Pederson says the latest crime statistics prove otherwise, and a downtown strategy is helping to better tailor policing to that area of the city.

During a presentation to the police services board on Wednesday, the chief admitted there is crime in the downtown. But the most recent statistics (2018) show violent crimes are down by 8 per cent in Sudbury compared to the previous year.

He mentioned that social disorder calls have increased 11 per cent between 2017 and 2018. 2019 stats have not been compiled yet.

With a fatal stabbing last month, along with problems like loitering, panhandling, homelessness, and discarded needles, the downtown core has faced some tough challenges recently.

The Greater Sudbury Police Service has been working with community partners over the past several years to develop and roll out its downtown policing strategy. 

Along with police, the partners include the municipality, social services agencies, neighbourhood associations, and the Sudbury Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) which includes business owners.

Pedersen told the board the plan is built on empathy, not enforcement because most of the issues in the downtown are connected to social problems, not crime.

"It's a strategy that looks at our vulnerable population and doesn't try and criminalize them, understands that behind all of these people that we see downtown suffering from mental illness, poverty and addictions is a story and we want to be able to help them live good lives as well," he said.

Sending a police officer is not always the best response.

Mental health, homelessness and addictions are not best served through enforcement.- Paul Pedersen, chief of Greater Sudbury Police Services

"Which agency or suite of agencies is best to serve this [situation]?"

"I've often said mental health, homelessness, and addictions are not best served through enforcement. Throwing homeless people in jail, is counter-intuitive," he said.

Pedersen added that the strategy is not about displacing the vulnerable population to another part of the community.

"Ultimately what we're trying to do is get people living downtown, shopping downtown, working downtown."

Reality versus perception

When it comes to perceptions about the downtown being unsafe Pedersen uses two recent examples involving police response to prove his point.

In November, there was a fatal stabbing on Cedar Street downtown that involved a suspect and a victim. The chief explained this was an isolated incident involving two people who were known to each other.

In contrast, there was a random stabbing in June in the parking lot of a business on Marcus Drive in New Sudbury. That incident involved a suspect who attacked two strangers: a mother and her baby.

"Very distressing. Did people stop going to Michael's?"

Pedersen says it's up to community leaders to manage perceptions of safety.

"We can't be screaming the sky is falling when what we're seeing specifically downtown is mental health issues, homelessness issues, poverty issues, and panhandling," he said.

Extra resources coming soon

Pedersen is pleased the city decided to add extra dedicated bylaw officers to the downtown core.

The extra resources would reduce pressures on front-line police officers who currently respond to non-urgent calls like loitering or disturbance.

"We like to have any assistance that we can," he said.

Pedersen also added that just having presence of security around would act as a deterrent.

During his presentation to the board, Pedersen mentioned that hot spots for police calls around the downtown are frequently around the transit depot, the Tim Horton's, the LCBO, the Rainbow Centre and Old City Hall Lane.

He mentioned the walkway that separates three of these locations would be a high-ticketed area once the designated bylaw officers begin their pilot next spring.

"Let's work together on making sure that we keep us as safe as we can, with the goal being complete crime-free."