Following a demanding year marred by a lack of resources, Chatham-Kent’s police chief is hopeful 2024 will see a return of more proactive policing.
Police Chief Gary Conn said an increase in contemporary policing issues, complex social issues, and calls for services have put a significant strain on the Chatham-Kent Police Service in 2023. He said a lack of police staffing and aging equipment resulted in an especially difficult year.
“We’ve had a multitude of initiatives on the go to address, not only the varying policing issues, but also the challenges we face in regards to resources,” said Conn. “The time officers spend responding to calls has increased over the five years. It has led to a reduction in the time available for proactive, preventative work.”
However, Chatham-Kent Council passed its first multi-year budget in early December, which included a 6.29 per cent increase to the policing budget compared to the year prior.
Conn said the police service intends to hire 43 new full-time staff over the next four years, which will include a mix of 16 police officers, 11 special constables, and 16 civilian employees.
“We’re hoping that by having those additional bodies, we’ll be able to change our service delivery model, which has historically been a reactive one, to one which has a greater emphasis on prevention,” he said. “Simply having the additional resources will allow our service to take that more proactive approach.”
Chatham-Kent currently has 142 officers per 100,000 population, which is below both the provincial average (174) and the national average (183).
