Downtown crime on the rise says Windsor's police chief
Chief Al Frederick said police are aware of the uptick
Windsor's police chief is responding to complaints about crime in the city's downtown core.
Chief Al Frederick said it's not just a perception; statistics show the number of thefts this year is already well above the five-year average, with several months to go. And the monthly average of property crime in 2018 has increased by nearly 20 per cent.
Frederick said it's been a challenge to address the spike, since police need to attend to many time-consuming calls.
"For example, and I'll give you a very simple one that happens each and every day — wandering seniors with Alzheimer's," said the police chief. "There's never enough resources to find that person quickly for the family, and for that person. Every hour counts in his life."
A call like that could take eight to ten officers about three to four hours to complete, said Frederick.
Downtown task force
The police chief's comments come after some business owners in the downtown area said they'd begin patrolling the streets themselves.
In June, Mayor Drew Dilkens said an uptick in crime was the reason he proposed a 12-officer task force which would concentrate on policing the city's core. The $1.4 million initiative was passed by the Windsor Police Services Board of which Dilkens is the chair of.
The mayor said he was disturbed by the surge of violent crime and crime "related to mental health, opioid addiction, and the things that go along with that."
On Wednesday, Frederick said the force would increase foot patrols and use new technology to address the rash of threats.