Frequency of police pointing handguns up more than 300 per cent to start 2023: WRPS
Posted Jun 21, 2023 04:32:31 PM.
Last Updated Jun 21, 2023 05:03:10 PM.
New numbers suggest how often regional police point their handguns has more than tripled to start 2023, though the exact reasoning remains unclear.
According to regional police, WRPS officers pointed their handguns at least 50 times during the first quarter of this year.
That’s up from 16 times through the fourth quarter of 2022 and just three shy of the annual total from 2021.
“We are unsure at this time as to the cause of this, including whether this is an artifact of the new reporting mechanism or is a function of the circumstances presented in this quarter,” said Insp. Jason Boutcher during an update to the police services board.
“There’s multiple factors that could be driving these numbers and we haven’t had the time to really sit back and digest them because we do need just a little bit more data,” added Mandy Williams, manager of police strategic services, though she did also point to a recent change in reporting requirements as a key consideration.
“I don’t have the numbers at this point [to say] with confidence that’s the artifact we’re seeing or if it’s something in subject behaviour that was weird or something in officer behaviour–I’m not sure.”
That said, the reporting changes did take effect as of the start of January – so police have suggested the timing would indicate that may be at least partly responsible.
The police chief, meantime, also pointed to other potential aggravating factors like rising crime severity and the proliferation of guns and knives.
“We’re seeing more weapons on the streets,” said WRPS Chief Mark Crowell. “More firearms, more knives, [and] more replica firearms as well.”
“I think across Ontario, across Canada, we’re seeing more weapons than ever and that’s driving officers to adhere to their training–and that’s to keep themselves and the community safe.”
It should also be noted, despite the numbers suggesting police may be pointing their handguns more often, police also said no shots were fired during the first quarter of 2023.
