Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis is implementing the Mayor’s Task Force to address the city’s addiction, mental health and homelessness crisis.
The announcement was made in a press release on Friday.
The task force will consist of Mayor Ellis as chair, a council representative, Belleville Police Service representatives, Hastings County and other community partners.
“The goal of the task force is to form an action plan that can be implemented quickly and make a measurable impact on the crisis our community is facing while we await further support from our federal and provincial partners,” said Mayor Neil Ellis in the release.
“By bringing together key agencies, leaders and subject matter experts, we hope to address both the emergent needs and root causes of addiction, mental health and homelessness, and their links to community safety.”
According to the release, Belleville Police Service will also be intensifying its enforcement efforts in the downtown area to address open-air drug use and related public safety concerns.
“Our officers have been and will continue to patrol public spaces, lay charges and seize illegal substances when open-air drug use is observed,” said Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd in the release.
“We’ve interjected countless incidents, made arrests, and removed dangerous drugs from our streets. This will continue. Open-air drug use is not acceptable in Belleville, and our community can expect to see even more visible police presence in the coming days.”
Police say 12 drug warrants were executed by the Street Crime/Intel Unit, including several involving multiple residences.
Additionally, four people have been charged with possession under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the downtown area.
The announcement of the task force comes days after the City of Belleville noted that the crisis, which led to a State of Emergency that has been in effect for more than 18 months, has worsened.
The City of Belleville and Belleville Police Service emphasized that safety efforts must be paired with broader solutions.
They say federal prosecution challenges remain at the possession level, but Belleville police will continue to seize drugs, lay charges and pursue every available enforcement tool to keep public spaces safe.
