2019 was a year of change for the community of Brockville. The legalization of Marijuana and the proliferation of Outlaw Motorcycle Gang activity in the area topped off the year. Locally, the Brockville Police Service utilized education relating to marijuana legalization. Working with Lanark, Leeds and Grenville District Health Unit we were able to answer many questions and prevent issues before they arose. The fact that smoking had already been banned in our local parks aided in ensuring marijuana was treated in the same fashion.
The increase in Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMG) activity was met with enforcement. A number of OMG members and affiliates were arrested and charged with various offences. A clubhouse was eradicated from a residential area and prosecutions continued into 2020.
These are only a couple of examples of how policing Brockville has changed over the years. Despite these challenges and challenging times we continued our efforts against traffic related issues, youth crime and drug related issues. Homelessness increased in the community along with substance abuse and dependence which often had a direct relation to violent and property crimes.
We continue to utilize our partners for their expertise in fields such as mental health and social housing. As police officers, we are unable to solve all of the communities problems. Working together provides increased resources in order to tackle each facet affecting the community. There is much work to be done and our members are up to the challenge.
We are extremely proud of those who come to work each day not knowing what they will face. Our front-line officers are supported by Detectives, Communicators and Administrative Staff, all of which are integral to the operation of the Police Service. Thank you for taking the time to review the following pages which constitute our 2019 Annual Report.
| King Yee, Jr. Chair, Brockville Police Services Board |
Scott Fraser Chief of Police |