Norfolk OPP’s new detachment commander will look into whether there has been a spike in assaults against local police officers.
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Insp. Andrew Tait told members of Norfolk’s Police Services Board on Wednesday he will gather relevant data and analytics to determine whether there has been an increase in officer assaults.
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The action stemmed from a concern raised by police board member George Santos regarding an OPP community safety and engagement report presented at Wednesday’s meeting. The report noted that “police and EMS were assaulted in July while assisting a person in distress.”
The report said the accused “kicked, spat on and attempted to bite.”
“An attack on our officers is basically an attack on everything that I believe is good,” Santos said.
He said, based on local media accounts he has seen, there have been at least eight charges between June and August against men and women who allegedly assaulted officers.
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“The concern I have is that there has been an increase that I’ve noticed,” said Santos.
Tait said “policing is not without its challenges.”
“Often times we come across people who are in crisis and we do our best to resolve the situation peacefully. Unfortunately, sometimes our officers are put in harm’s way.”
While Tait said he didn’t have local statistics at his fingertips, he noted that Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Thomas Carrique has been a “staunch supporter” of lease reform.
At an appearance in the House of Commons early this year, Carrique told MPs law enforcement officers “deserve to be safeguarded” against repeat violent offenders as he recommended reforms to Canada’s bail system.
The police services board directed the Norfolk OPP to gather statistics on assaults and bring information back to the board. Santos has suggested sending a letter to the local Crown attorney’s office making them aware of the police services board’s concerns. A decision about whether to do that was deferred.
“This seriously concerns me,” Santos said. “If there has been an uptick in assaults, I want to make sure these individuals are charged.”
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