SAFER PUBLIC SPACES - A No-Tolerance Approach to Open Air Illicit Drug Use

Why is the Peterborough Police Service doing this now?

No one in our community should be at risk of being a victim of crime, or feel unsafe to walk down the street, visit a park or shop at a store. In the approved Community Safety & Well-Being Plan survey respondents stated that only 48% feel safe or very safe in their community and the 71% say feelings about safety influence what they do and where they go in their community.  

We have heard, loud and clearly, that there is concern that drugs are freely consumed whenever and wherever across the city. Far too often, these substances cause reasonable people to engage in unreasonable and unpredictable behaviour, and this makes people feel unsafe and they want their police to do something about it.

Community Safety & Well Being Plan Information:

• 67% of survey respondents in the city perceive that crime has increased in their community.
• 50% of survey respondents in the city would recommend their community as a good place to live.
• 48% of survey respondents in the city feel safe or very safe in their community.
• 71% of survey respondents in the city note that feelings about safety influences what they do or where they go.
• 50% of survey respondents in the city state that more police would make them feel significantly or quite a bit safer.
• 86% of survey respondents in the city state policing is very important or important.      

What is the objective/goal?

The objective is to send a clear message that all public spaces should be considered safe for all residents.  

How can we be part of a solution?  

In addition to directing people to stop using their drugs in public places, our officers also carry Naloxone and are trained in its use.  They will also be directed to offer information to individuals about community resources.    As a pillar partner of the Peterborough Drug Strategy, our role around enforcement is to strengthen community safety by preventing and responding to the crimes and community disorder issues associated with legal and illegal substances.  This approach helps us fulfill this commitment within the strategy. 

What and where are the resources in the community?  

These resources are listed on pages 39-40 of the Community Safety Well-Being Plan

Community Resources: CSWB pages 39-40

• Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS):  After years of planning, Fourcast received an exemption from Health Canada for Peterborough’s CTS Site in May 2022. This site provides a safe and comfortable environment for people who use substances, offering an alternative for people who use alone. CTS is a key strategy to provide health services and supports for people who are in need. CTS partners include Fourcast, Your Community AIDS Resource Network (PARN), Peterborough County/City Paramedics (PCCP), PPH, Peterborough 360 Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic (360 NPLC), and the PDS.
• Mobile Support Overdose Resource Team (MSORT): MSORT is a collaborative pilot project serving people in Peterborough City and County with the intent to reduce overdoses and minimize the risk of harms related to overdose and substance use, especially opioids. The project is designed to enhance the community’s response to the opioid/drug poisoning/overdose crisis. MSORT is a collaboration between PARN’s Harm Reduction Works (HRW) program, PCCP, Fourcast, and the PDS.

• Safe Supply Program: Hosted by 360 NPLC, the Safe Supply Program is an extension of the traditional harm reduction model offered to high-risk populations who use street-acquired substances. It focuses on a client-centred, team-based, and comprehensive approach. Safer Supply Programs sometimes follow the community health centre model of care or can be achieved by being integrated into primary care clinics in close partnership with harm reduction organizations. This allows for comprehensive wraparound services and care.
• Early Warning System: Since 2013, PDS partners have been using a system to rapidly inform agencies and the media about suspected toxic drug supply circulating in the area.
• Peterborough Risk Driven Situation Table: Launched in 2016, human service providers in fields including law enforcement, education, social services, mental health, child welfare, and addictions gather weekly to discuss situations of acute risk and plan to intervene with supports and assistance for individuals and families in Peterborough.
• A Different Approach: Substance Use and Addiction Support Program (SUAP): Delivered by people with lived experience with substance use, this program aims to help service users navigate existing resources and create a circle of support. This peer support program is delivered at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) by the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough.

What is the Peterborough Police Service hearing from the community?

We have heard from residents, business owners, members of council that they have concerns about people openly using their drugs in public places in our community.  Many have expressed concerns about safety.  It’s an issue we are frequently asked about and that often comes with the question about why can’t officers stop them?  Well, this is what we are going to do.  We will direct them to stop doing what they are doing and offer information about community resources. Failure to follow this direction will mean the individual will be arrested, and we will seize the drugs for destruction.  Collectively, we have all walked past this behaviour for far too long, and we will no longer do that. Officers maintain their discretion with regard to laying charges, though we know the Courts are focused on the most serious of offences and has limited prosecution for simple possession charges to what they refer to as ‘serious manifestations’, the most notable being where the offence is committed in the vicinity of places frequented by children or young persons as well as if preparing to operate a motor vehicle, possession of a weapon or performing an activity posing a risk to public health or safety.

What is being done in other communities?  

Peterborough Police Service is the first in the province to take this approach.  Edmonton has moved forward with a similar approach, and we have been in regular contact with them. 

What can we learn from other communities?   

The situation in Edmonton has focused on random acts of violence associated with the proliferation of drug use. We have not yet experienced that same impact, and by taking this action, we hope to avoid getting to that point.

It has long been acknowledged that safer communities require a whole systems-approach, but we also acknowledge that we are currently working within an imperfect system, and public safety cannot wait for perfection. 

Is this approach part of the Safe Streets Act?

The Safe Streets Act applies to how officers can address panhandling.  It does not have provisions for illicit drug usage.  Actions promoting Safer Public Spaces fall under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Will the City of Peterborough have to create a new by-law?

No, this is about criminal behaviour, and there are appropriate laws in place to address it.

How do you see the directive impacting the everyday individual experience?

The intention is that the officer will attend and approach the person in question and direct them not to consume the illicit substance in that area and to not return to the area for that purpose. Part of that conversation will include information on where to seek community services.  If a person is not cooperative or does not comply to requests to move, the officer will arrest that person, search them and seize their illegal drugs, before releasing them (unless of course there is a criminal offence or warrant for their arrest).  We do not believe we should walk by this type of behaviour.  

What are the community expectations?  

The safety of all.  People expect to be able to attend public spaces and be safe.  We know our community has a high level of compassion for those in need, but at the same time they expect the police to make sure public spaces are safe for all residents. They want us to uphold the law, but to do it in a way that is respectful and compassionate.

What do you say to people who will say this approach attacks the vulnerable/the addicted?

Our goal is to ensure safe public places for all our residents.  As mentioned, officers will be equipped with resources to pass along, and in some case may be able to direct individuals to diversion opportunities if they arise.

We are conscious of the need to balance no tolerance with the need of ensuring people are provided information (if they choose to accept it) that speaks to the resources available in our community. 

Are the community partners supportive of this approach?

We have reached out to our community partners one by one, and will continue to do so, to ensure that they are aware of this change, and to have important discussions about what it means for us, for them, and for their clients. 

As with any change in approach we anticipate there will be some concern and we will be open to working with anyone to help ensure our public places are safe places for all members of our community.  This approach is probably going to come with some bumps, but we will approach those as we always do with an underlying commitment to safety. 

We also anticipate that this approach may be a springboard for advocacy for improved service or funding for additional treatment and rehabilitation services in the community. 

Advocate for inhalation?

Right now, in Peterborough there is a space for safe injection and that is the CTS.  At this time there isn’t a comparable space for safe inhalation, and we respect the rights of those who will choose to advocate for that.

Why are you doing a media availability about this?

What we are going to be doing is a different approach and will look different to the community.  In my time here as Chief I have been very open about being as transparent as possible about what we do, and why we do it.  It’s important to communicate with the community about what our actions will be in their community, so, when they see us approaching or speaking to an individual, they know what to expect and why we are doing that.  

Will you be going into encampments under this new approach?

We are currently focused on public spaces, such as parks, playgrounds, bus shelters, storefronts etc.; however, we will continue to work with City staff as the encampment space develops and expectations of those using that space are determined. 

What/how will you measure the results of this approach?  

We will be recording:

• How many interactions our officers have
• Whether those interaction are officer or citizen generated
• What was the end result of the call for service? E.g., did the person move along, were they arrested, or were they provided some other form of referral such as diversion
• We are also mapping where these calls for service come in from, and where the interactions take place