More calls for service and more complex calls, along with increases in criminal incidents, are putting pressure on the Belleville Police Service.
In the first quarter of this year, calls for service to Belleville police increased significantly, by 14%. Many of those calls are mental health-/addictions-related and can take a lot of an officer’s time.
The number of calls involving crimes increased by 24% in the first quarter as the city’s population is growing quickly.
Police Services Board member Murray Angus says the higher demands on police are going to force challenging budget discussions as additional officers could be needed.
Belleville Police Chief Mike Callaghan says that methods of policing will have to change in the near future due to financial pressures.
The changes will involve new technologies, and there’s discussion at the provincial level about instituting “tiered policing” where duties are split between regular officers, officers with limited powers, community policing, and security firms.
