In the first Police Board meeting streamed from the Council Chambers on July 16, we learned several things: there is now a “Citizen’s advisory committee” (but no details); all crime stats in 2023 increased although the solved rate seems good; the encampment cost about $61K in 2023 – a full report on this was provided; there are gaps in the Downtown Dynamic Patrol due to resources being diverted to the encampment; Police won’t normally enter the encampment unless accompanied by other agencies; the case for a new building was not discussed; Police made their largest-ever single drug-related seizure; Of the $10.8M budget, $2M came from the business centre (plus all Capital was funded from business centre profits); the idea of merging with Port Hope Police was not discussed.
There were also a number of other items – Police are working on revising policies or writing new ones to comply with the new Police Act; the Chief reports each month in conjunction with a detailed operational report (although the operational report this time is for May); there is now more detail provided on crime statistics (see below); the $61K cost to respond to service calls to the encampment is only part of the cost; in addition, there are related costs such as approx. another $61K for the extensive investigation of the shooting – see the full report in Resources. The Town and County plan to ask the Province to pay this extra cost.
Here are the detailed crime statistics:
Resources
Download PDFs
- Report on Dynamic Patrol for June
- Police Operational Report for May 2024
- Police Encampment Staffing Costs Report
- Police Annual Report for 2023
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When are the “rights” and protection of the law abiding tax paying citizens going to be priority over those who either chose drug use ,are unemployed as a result and appear to be their primary choice of far too many..with their numbers increasing.
I don’t observe any of the homeless/ drug addicted appearing to be starved dressed in rags or short of alcohol or cigarettes as well.
It doesn’t take a war to destroy a country when so many of its own citizens are becoming well engaged in doing it.
Everything has a limit and we’re well into it with this lifestyle becoming an accepted norm and must be treated for what it is …a choice.
Assistance is available but it appears overwhelmingly refused for a chosen way of life
Will it take private citizens having to take the law into their own hands against this as there doesn’t appear to be any effective deterrent to this disaster in solving it to date?
Only time will tell.
Bill back in our day the 70s, 80s and early 90s and 2000s anyone receiving social
benefits from Tax payers had to be ready & willing to work when an employer needed
labour or unskilled trades . ie : farm hands , general labour on construction sites
Their benefit cheques were supervised and scrutinized 1/4 ly and yearly to ensure those benefits were being used correctly and not defrauding the sys or for illegal purposes
and if you needed medical attention for any reason ( Rehab , Mental Health ) etc it was covered
and there was a card for that as well which was monitored and may require approval for some
treatments and special meds. Why did this all disappear it needs to come back for sure
otherwise these people have No reason to seek help or improvement of their lives and of those around them . Let alone look to or forced to seek Recovery when handouts are easy to get
from our Govt. Canadian Seniors get less Respect & Consideration because we are Law Bidding and have been raised in a County that used to have morals & standards
extract from the report:
“Recognizing we are only at the mid point in of the year, the time spent at the encampment is already almost equal to one full time equivalent officer and rising.”
Reading this I am always questioning the needs of the Community and the costs of Policing. The main question is that if so many hours have been devoted to the encampment, what has been neglected? We pay the Police to do the job and if the problems of the encampment are part of that, they attend.
The costs are just a compilation of the actual hours costed into the situation. My question remains what would they be doing if the encampment wasn’t there and more importantly how many of these hours and costs are overtime. Because if they are not overtime hours the budget isn’t affected.
So be realistic, tell us what tasks have been neglected in order to police the encampment. Otherwise it is nice to know how much time and effort has been spent on the encampment but what else should they have been doing?
As to the costs of the shooting; although it happened in an encampment the work would be the same as if a prominent citizen had been assassinated on the steps of City Hall. To say that it is an encampment cost, or tie it to the encampment costs is a stretch and should be counted as a “run of the mill” police cost.
If Cobourg life were otherwise bucolic, underutilized police could idle away their shifts waiting for the urgent call that never comes.
If that were true, we would need less of them and they could be deployed elsewhere beyond Cobourg. The long term, but not short term, fallacy of your argument is assuming a fixed officer headcount.
No way round it, the encampment drags the whole of Cobourg down while the rest of the county looks on.
“No way round it, the encampment drags the whole of Cobourg down while the rest of the county looks on.”
Not at a great cost to Cobourg – 61K out of a multi-million dollar budget!
The great cost to Cobourg does not just lie in the policing budget..
Thank you for saying this.
Not to mention the over $500k over 3 months for EMS, $$$ continue to be spent, we just might as well throw money out the window. Now paramedics are saying they don’t feel safe without police escort? How about stop responding then, cite unsafe working conditions. I counted over 20! visits in one day while others may have to wait after a fall, MVA, or cardiac arrest. Spin it as you will Ben, it’s clearly not working. Those coming from out of town need to be sent back, and the remainder need to be in care.
I am not spinning it anyway, just pointing out that “Figures lie and liars Figure” The costs of attending to the encampment need to be looked at as extra costs. That is to say that although every agency costs out activities the overall costs are what they are – in the budget. So what are the extra costs?
Be honest about it tell us just how much extra the activities at the encampment costs are, not how much they cost. If the activities of the EMS and other agencies have caused the neglect of other duties the we should know otherwise we are just paying for the Police, Fire, and EMS to do their jobs as we would if the encampment wasn’t there!
It shouldn’t cost Cobourg anything, because it shouldn’t be there. It’s a disgrace and our “part time” Mayor should be on top of it.
Ben,
$61,000 in 2023. $82,000 to June 2024 postulating $164,000 or more in entire year 2024.
Just how do the taxpayers get them to discuss merging with Port Hope Police to save money?
Per The new Policing Act
Amalgamation of police services
23 (1) Multiple municipalities that have municipal boards may enter into a written agreement to amalgamate their police services and jointly constitute a new municipal board.
It has to come from Council wanting amalgamation .
Im sorry but I dont see Council wanting to pursue amalgamation. These Council defers to the wishes of the Police Services Board.
This Board and the Chief appear to be wanting the Cobourg Police to be the primary police service in Northumberland County- new station request for training facilities, forensic facilities etc. Probably on a contractual basis with the other area municipalities,in order for the Police Board oversight to remain with Cobourg.
Cobourg Police – Bi-Weekly Update: Dynamic Patrol – Today’s Northumberland – Your Source For What’s Happening Locally and Beyond (todaysnorthumberland.ca)
Some good statistics in the biweekly KPI report. 21 arrests during 58 Dyna Pats – 37% of the patrols result in an arrest (on average). I’m sure many of which are likely bail not jail beneficiaries vs. first time offenders. What are the objectives for the Dyna Pat program? How is the program performing against the objectives?
With results like that, Dyna Pat should be scrubbed of the catchy title and simply become known as community policing a.k.a. part of the job. In its current state, our Town needs boots on the ground 24x7x365 including reinstating the Community Policing trailer at the beach.
You know its getting very hard to Believe or Trust any of the Info . this Town puts out anymore
The quotes for Private security that the Town and Police Dept told us to get as they will not patrol
private or Condo / Town house type properties anymore was nearly that much probably more with HST
The statement that:
seems absurd!
Based on the Sunshine list, a Constable’s salary is $110K + benefits. That means that the $61K for the encampment was less than the cost of one-half of a police person. Are all officers so busy that losing just half of an officer means that fighting downtown crime takes a serious hit?
Finally there is acknowledgement of crime increasing, finally a figure of $142363 (at least) that the encampment has cost the CPS since August 2023 to today and finally admitting that the time spent at the encampment and related issues, along with paperwork, is taking away from the necessary police services for the rest of the town of Cobourg. I am relieved to hear these costs and others in relation to the encampment will be asked to be reimbursed by the province. However to be very clear no matter which level of government pays for these costs it is our tax money that is covering it. I assume the hiring of 4 more officers can also be linked to time spent on encampment issues. Thanks for acknowledging what most of us already knew, but now what???
I can’t answer your question but agree the cost estimate is constructive and enlightening.
The report also says police must attend the encampment to support County Social Services, EMS and Cobourg Fire save and except any emergency call for service. This betrays other service costs to Cobourg beyond policing. The report also specifically excludes police administration costs beyond officer’s time.
Also goes to show even the persons with expertise In handling any crisis situation in the encampment require the protection of police services to be among the responders for protection. High time for a decision to move folks into dedicated supported facilities where needs are met and trained professionals work to support and address individual situations. The mistake of closing government funded mental health operations with no back up plan needs to be admitted and a plan for recovery and support…perhaps lifelong.. has to materialize before we may begin to see change. Meantime many communities are funding a semblance of care but the out of control unmonitored drug use is exhausting budgets and there is no improvement in anyone’s state of being on either side of the issue of homelessness and addiction.
I would imagine that figure is extremely light and understated
There is private security 24 x 7 as well that is being paid for with Tax $$$
simply due the fact the issues remain un resolved by all levels of GOVT and weak Policing
and enforcement is certainly a big part of the Problem. The Public and Municipalities rely on the Police to take a stern Hard line when all else fails . and Cobourg’s Homeless issues and safe feeling are certainly unresolved
$142363 – the cost of the shooting which would have occurred wherever the bad guy was living = 61K!
The shooting that took place just steps away from a children’s daycare and a seniors residence.
Ben,
$61,000 was for 2023. Read the Report. $142,363 2023 and up to June 2024. Obviously even more by now!