By Cobourg Police stats, police have responded to 66 calls per day from July 14, to July 27 as reported by a press release that can only be viewed by attending their website.
It would be hard pressed to determine how many officers are on per day as that is a operations issue.
You’d have better luck finding out what’s the whereabouts of Jimmy Hoffa then finding out how many officers were working, but let’s get back to the issue at hand.
Cobourg Police released their “ongoing commitment to enhancing community safety” with a two-week update of the Safer Streets Cobourg program.
The initiative, launched on June 16, “aims to foster a more secure and welcoming environment for all residents and visitors.”
From July 14 to July 27, Cobourg Police responded to a total of 868 calls for service.
Included in this are 48 foot patrols along with 26 property checks.
There were 33 calls for trespassing and made 13 warrants and bail compliance arrests.
In the 13-day period there were also two drug-related arrests for possession and one Liquor License Control Act.
So, it’s unknown how many other “serious” incidents there were, but by the amount of press releases issued during that time – there were very few.
From July 14 to July 27 there were 18 press releases issued.
That is by no means saying police weren’t busy, but given there were no other press releases issued, they likely were incidents that didn’t cause a lot of time.
Sometimes when police release a statistic of 868 calls for service, it doesn’t really tell the story when there are only 18 press releases that were issued during that time period.
Now, that being said, there were other incidents that could and likely should have been released like a vehicle that collided with the Cobourg Public Library on July 15.
Or a motorcycle that drive through Victoria Park on July 27.
On July 24 Cobourg Police, Cobourg Fire Department and Northumberland OPP were called to a paddle boarder possibly in distress on Lake Ontario.
Nothing on those incidents and likely others.
The foot patrols, property checks, trespassing, warrants, bail compliance, drug arrests and even Liquor License Act charges are all part of what is called “policing.”
Police should always have a commitment to public safety.
The release is merely propaganda promoting their cause of the “Safer Street Cobourg” but simply put it’s policing. Or, if we didn’t have the Safer Streets Cobourg would none of these incidents have been reported?
Simply put, it’s the “flavour of the month” title for the service. Of which they’ve had many over the past few years.
The service has a long ways to go before members of the public feel they are actually being transparent to those they serve.
It’s nothing against the front line officers who day in, and day out serve the community.
The Cobourg Police Services Board doesn’t get a free pass – how many times has the public seen members of the Board within their community – walking the streets?
If not, how can members of the Board manage a police service that the community relies on when they’ve never “walked the walk?”
Management within the service must do a better job of highlighting incidents of what is happening in the community. If the community can’t trust police for being transparent it’s a slippery slope.
Once the trust is lost – it’s gone forever.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
