Opioids, criminal investigations and changes in policy are all issues for Waterloo Region’s chief of police.
Chief Bryan Larkin spoke to several of these issues on Wednesday morning.
Police say that call volume is up almost seven per cent from last year and that officers are getting more calls involving overdoses.
Officers get an average of three and a half calls for opioid overdoses each day—it’s their second-most frequent call.
Front line officers have used naloxone 20 times in the first three months of the year, compared to a total of 35 times last year.
Meanwhile, major investigations continue in the region.
Charges are pending in the fiery Gaukel Street crash that left two people dead near the Kitchener bus terminal.
There’s also the recent murder investigation of Helen Schaller, in which the apparent suspect shot and killed himself. That investigation has been taken over by the SIU.
The force will be dealing with policy changes, as well. Provincial grant money may become an issue, and soon regional police officers will be tasked with enforcing animal cruelty laws.
