Police seeing sharp rise in stress

Cathy Dobson The emotional toll the pandemic has taken on Sarnia residents is reflected in the latest police statistics.

Cathy Dobson

The emotional toll the pandemic has taken on Sarnia residents is reflected in the latest police statistics.

Increased calls for family disputes, unwanted persons, well-being checks, and disturbances of the peace show a need for more collaboration between police and mental health professionals, says Sarnia Police Chief Norm Hansen.

“Our numbers are up noticeably. This year has been difficult, obviously, because of COVID-19.  We always see increases but this is a lot.”

The new statistics cover the six-month period from March to September.

Police calls for unwanted persons rose 37% from the previous year, to 705 calls.

“That’s a huge jump,” said Hansen. “It’s often trespassing or when there’s unwanted behaviour and the police need to be called to remove someone. I think it’s because people are cooped up and reacting to that stress.”

Domestic dispute calls are up 26%, to 667 this year. Police officers were called out for family disputes 269 times, a 30% increase over the same time period last year.

The new report also shows officers performed 27% more well-being checks.

Often, that’s a worried family member unable to reach a loved one. But sometimes such calls relate to mental health problems that can get “dicey,” Hansen said.

“Our officers are good negotiators and pretty good at de-escalating situations, but they appreciate having mental health resources when they can.”

Last year, Sarnia Police and local Canadian Mental Health workers formed a partnership that sees one officer and one mental health worker answering calls together on eight-hour daily patrols.

The program, called MHEART (Mental Health Engagement and Response Teams), has proven its worth over and over again, said Hansen.

“I hope we can expand on that.”

City Coun. Mike Stark, a member of the Sarnia Police Services Board, said he’s not surprised by the latest statistics.

He agrees they point to a need for more collaboration with social services and public health.

“While I’m concerned about the increase in calls for domestic violence, I am also concerned that many of these other calls are related to addicts,” he said.

“It really comes down to the fact you can’t arrest your way out of the problem.”

Officers who take people in distress to the hospital’s emergency department are obligated to stay with them. The process can take many hours, increasing overtime hours, said Stark.

“Maybe we should have a full-time police officer at the hospital. Whatever happens, I agree with expanding MHEART.”

Hansen said the pandemic has increased stress levels all across the city.

“But I’m proud of our how our police services is getting through this crisis. We’re getting good news about a vaccine. Fingers crossed that the pandemic will be over soon.”