This week, Greater Sudbury Police Services hosted a number of virtual sessions designed to improve service delivery by focusing on four issues.
The sessions acknowledge the correlation between the growing needs of the community and the changing landscape of being a police officer.
Al Sizer, city councillor and chair of Greater Sudbury Police Services Board, said things have changed drastically in the past three to five years.
“We’ve seen a change in the last three to five years, in what the police services are required, what kind of service they’re required to provide,” Sizer said.
“The demand on the service has changed, so we have to look at changing (the) police force and (be) willing to adapt and willing to respond to these concerns.”
The topics included downtown, seniors, Indigenous issues and education.
“We’re seeing with the Indigenous and different equity groups, different needs,” Sizer said.
“The mental health calls have skyrocketed, so the service we provided even five years ago is not the same service we probably require today. So in that respect, it’s important to be able to get out and find out the hotspots in the community.”
Wednesday’s session was about improving the relationship between police and the Indigenous community.
Darryl Walker from N’Swakamok Native Friendship Centre said there’s been a great partnership between police and the centre.
“We’ve had great partnerships. I’ve had the pleasure to do youth and police dialogue with them, just before COVID,” Walker said. “Where police and youth were able to work together and learn from each other.”
Walker’s coworker, Autumn Lewis, said improvements are still needed.
“Learning from each other, learning the different perspectives and just kind of walking with empathy and kindness,” Lewis said.
“Understanding that we’re walking in two worlds but we’re walking together.”
Friday’s session will focus on education, by hearing from school boards and post-secondary educators, with the hope of identifying issues affecting young people.
All the findings from these sessions will be presented to board members at Greater Sudbury Police Services for review, with the strategic plan expected to be rolled out early to mid next year.
