THUNDER BAY - The city’s chief of police has released a statement addressing how the current pandemic has impacted officers and their daily duties in a short video posted last week.
In a brief video posted to the Thunder Bay Police Service Facebook page, Chief Sylvie Hauth speaks of the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on policing locally.
“Police officers often cannot avoid coming into close contact with the public as they perform their duties,” Hauth said in the video. “You can do your part in reducing non-emergency in-person contacts with our officers by utilizing our online reporting through our website at www.thunderbaypolice.ca or by calling our front desk at 684-1200.”
As of last week, the police service launched a special unit to provide frontline support to the Thunder Bay Police Service Uniform Patrol Branch called the Patrol Support Call back Unit.
“Very often, an initial police report can be taken over the phone which reduces the need for in-person contact between a uniform patrol officer and a member of the public,” a release issued at the time said.
A 911 operator will determine if a situation requires immediate police presence or if a situation can be followed by the Patrol Support Call Back Unit.
Incidents the new unit could follow up on include: when a suspect is not present and if there is no immediate risk to a person’s safety.
Patrol Support Call Back officers will call a complainant back and take a more detailed report of the incident.
Non-emergency incidents can be reported through the police service online reporting tool by going here or by calling 807-684-1200.
