With 2019 coming to a close, Chatham-Kent police are reflecting on a year of ups and downs for crime in the municipality.
When it comes to drugs, Police Chief Gary Conn said one significant difference in 2019 was the dollar amount seized during drug busts. As of mid-December, a total value of $3.3 million worth of drugs was confiscated during busts in 2019, compared to $2.8 million in 2018 and half a million in 2017.
"That's a substantial amount," said Conn. "That's good, that's kind of indicative that we're not just dealing with the drug dealers out on the streets. We're also getting closer to the sources or suppliers."
In April, Chatham-Kent police conducted the largest bust in their history when $2.6 million worth of drugs were seized from a Chatham apartment. In October, 36-year-old Jonathan Toornstra, originally from Dresden, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of charges that stemmed from the bust.
April also brought the arrest of 11 other people, in a drug bust project that Conn said took months of behind the scenes work.
"Our officers, the members of our intel and drug unit, worked on that project for approximately six months, half a year. It required the use of many resources," he explained. "It was good to see it come to a successful conclusion with getting that extraordinary amount of drugs off our street and the parties involved charged appropriately."
Although the values were high, Conn said the actual number of drug busts were on par with previous years. In 2019, there were a total of 64 individuals arrested and charged with drug-related incidents compared to 61 individuals in 2018 and 62 in 2017. According to Conn, methamphetamine continues to be the most frequently seized drug in Chatham-Kent over the last few years followed by cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and hydromorphone.
Another stat that went up this year was the number of attempted murders in Chatham-Kent. According to Conn, there were four attempted murder charges in 2019. Although it may seem like a low number, Conn said it was a little higher than previous years and a disheartening figure to see. He added that three out of four of the attempted murders were drug-related.
"If we get one or two attempted murders a year, that's usually at par with previous years. This year was exceptionally high in regards to attempted murders," he said. "Thankfully we had no murders this year."
Conn acknowledged that drugs also played a large factor in property crimes across the municipality.
"Especially our break and enters, which is one of our nemesis here in Chatham-Kent, are tied back to drugs... We can see that there certainly is a direct correlation between these offences," said Conn.
One trend that has risen over the past decade continued to soar in 2019, the increase of calls to 911. According to Conn, 38,000 service calls was considered an average amount for many years. Since around 2014, Conn said that number has consistently grown. There were 65,000 calls in 2018 and he's projecting a final tally of around 70,000 calls for 2019.
"Only about 20 per cent of those calls actually involve crime. The other 80 per cent deal with what I refer to as complex social disorders," Conn said. "Police are now having to deal with far more people suffering from mental health as well as drug addiction, emotional violence, alcoholism, poverty and homelessness. Certainly more prevalent today than we have ever seen before."
Despite some challenges, Conn said there were many positives in 2019. One of the highlights for him includes the introduction of Coffee with a Cop, an informal initiative that helps build relationships between officers and residents.
"Our members, both our sworn members and our civilian support, are continually giving of their time to participate in community events," he said. "Not only executing their duties on a day to day basis but also being so engaged and involved in our community."
Final statistics and numbers for 2019 are expected to be presented in the spring of 2020. In the meantime, Conn said the police force is going into the new year, and the new decade, with the same goals they always have.
"Continue on," he said. "Continue on the battle against drugs within our municipality."
