Police say they are doing what they can to address safety concerns in the downtown core.
Earlier this week a downtown business posted on social media about people loitering, harassing others and public intoxication. Pure Addiction Studio says since opening the studio in 2011, the amount of people loitering and harassing others has increased significantly.
Timmins Police Service Communications Coordinator Marc Depatie says officers are getting slightly more calls to the area for situations like this. Depatie says TPS is upping patrols in the area, but officers can’t just arrest these people. “In order for a person to be arrested and taken into custody, they have to have committed an offence contrary the criminal code. In the absence of that, we’re not able to simple cause people to disperse.” He says they have an absolute right to walk the streets just like you and I “so there are no provisions for the police to act overly aggressive towards these persons simply by virtue to the fact that they are loitering.” Depatie says to his knowledge there is no current bylaw in place so at present the police service is aware of the situation and is addressing it on a per call basis.
TPS says it is also working with the BIA on addressing all downtown safety issues. Depatie states that “the senior officers at the police service liaise with the BIA on a regular basis to make sure that any concerns that fall under the area of responsibility for your municipal police force to address are being addressed in a timely fashion.”
Depatie says safety concerns in the downtown core have also been brought to the Police Services Board to discuss.
