In a trend seen in many other communities, Chatham-Kent police are dealing with a spike in youth-related calls and interactions, board members heard Wednesday.
In a trend seen in many other communities, Chatham-Kent police are dealing with a spike in youth-related calls and interactions, board members heard Wednesday.
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Police responded to 2,118 youth occurrences — the bulk of which were non-criminal — last year, which was a 42.4 per cent increase, stated a staff report.
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The calls were of varying complexity, and signified a need for more youth-related services within the social services sector, the report added.
“Quite often, these interactions are rapport builders and relationship makers,” it stated.
“These non-criminal occurrences are usually time-consuming, but required to demonstrate our commitment to enhancing our reputation by giving much-needed merit to the youth needs in our community.”
Insp. Michael Pearce gave the presentation, which was part of the community patrol branch annual report.
When asked about the trend, Chief Gary Conn said there are a “multitude” of reasons for the increased interactions, with many of the societal causes in nature, such as neglect, poverty, addictions and social media.
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“I can tell you that this is not something unique to Chatham-Kent,” he said.
Conn also noted some school boards have enhanced their policies on when to contact police, saying this has led to more calls for service that, in the past, would not warrant it.
“For example, bullying, or even a basic schoolyard fight,” he said. “Now, it is policy and procedure … Even if no one was injured and there was no real harm done.”
There were 111 youth charged last year, compared to 36 in 2022. The total number of charges was 224, compared to 81 the year before.
Many of these youth had been bailed previously by officers.
The overall goal is to keep young people out of the justice system and foster long-term solutions, along with accountability and safety measures, the report added.
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Top incidents involving youth last year included assault, sexual assault, assault with a weapon, mischief and uttering threats.
Police also investigated a break-in where two nine-year-olds caused significant damage, as well as an arrest where all three suspects were under the age of 12.
Restorative Justice Chatham-Kent is the main partner in taking on the majority of youth entertained within the system. In some cases, cultural considerations saw youth entertained to services in Moraviantown and Walpole Island.
The Chatham-Kent youth officer attends schools on a regular basis to boost relationships and give presentations on a variety of topics.
Police also continue to assist with emergency drills, including for lockdowns, to ensure student and staff safety.
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