By Chief Darcy Fleury
THUNDER BAY – NEWS – This past weekend was exceptionally busy for Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS). Compared to most weekends, there were over 100 more calls.
| Weekend (Friday at 5:00 pm to Monday at 5:00 am) | Total Calls |
| August 9-12 | 472 |
| July 19-22 | 338 |
| July 5-8 | 322 |
We are seeing disturbing incidences of assaults against police officers. These include:
- Assault peace officer
- Assault peace officer with a weapon
- Assault peace officer with intent to resist arrest
- Assault peace officer cause bodily harm
Rates of assaults against police here are much higher than the provincial average.
Rate per 100,000 population:
| Year | Thunder Bay | Ontario |
| 2023 | 62.28 | 23.21 |
| 2022 | 52.43 | 22.62 |
| 2021 | 60.29 | 22.11 |
In terms of actual incidents, between January 1 and July 31 this year, there were 52 charges laid for Assault Peace Officer. There were 76 total charges laid in 2023. These numbers do not include resisting arrest without assault. Also not included are situations where officers opt not to charge a person who has assaulted them.
Being assaulted is not “part of the job”. It is true that officers are highly trained to avoid (through de-escalation) and deflect assaults against them. But it takes just a split second for a person to spit at, kick, bite or punch an officer. Any type of assault can have a lasting impact on an officer, causing physical and/or mental injury.
Our officers are keeping our communities safe. I’m proud of their resiliency and the dedicated work they do, risking their personal safety. I am also thankful to the family members and friends who worry while their loved ones are on the front line and are there to support them.
Engaging Our Community
This fall, I will host a series of “Chat with the Chief” events where community members can share information and get community feedback. Also launching this fall is an initiative called “Ask the Chief”. In short videos, I will answer questions from the community to help build an understanding of the work of the police service.
Your input will help shape the sessions and video content. I invite you to complete by August 30 a short, anonymous survey at https://forms.office.com/r/2rXSrsPC1k, Questions for the Chief can be submitted at any time to news@thunderbaypolice.ca.
The dates and locations of the Chat with the Chief events will be announced soon.
