Bradford and Innisfil are seeing more police chases, but many are cut short to protect public safety.
The South Simcoe Police Service released their annual report on police pursuits of suspects in motor vehicles for 2023, as part of the police services board meeting at the South Division building on Wednesday, Feb. 14.
According to the report, the police engaged in 15 pursuits in 2023, an increase from nine the previous year. The 2023 stats including nine to address Criminal Code offences and six for Ontario Highway Traffic Act violations.
Deputy Chief Sheryl Sutton attributed the jump to a number of factors, including the growing population as well as the increase in more serious offences people may be committing, leading them to be less willing to stop for officers. She added that sometimes people panic and instead of pulling over “they make bad decisions.”
“We prefer our officers not engage in pursuits,” Sutton said, emphasizing there are specific requirements under the Police Services Act as to when an officer can engage in a pursuit.
Reasons include whether a criminal offence has been or is about to be committed, identifying a vehicle or occupant, there are no other alternatives, and the need to pursue outweighs the risk to public safety.
Police aborted 12 pursuits for public safety reasons, with one ending after successful use of a tire deflation device, and another after a vehicle slid off the road.
“Kudos to our officers for having the fortitude to actually terminate a pursuit on their own,” Sutton said. “I’m happy to say there were no collisions or injuries as a result of the pursuits our officers participated in.”
Two of those aborted pursuits led to follow-up investigations and charges.
In total, police arrested four people and laid 18 charges as a result of pursuits, including 11 under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, six under the Criminal Code and one under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act.
October was the busiest month for pursuits with three, while January through April and also July had two each, and May and September had one each.
March and February saw the most provincial offences charges from pursuits with five and four, respectively; there were two in April and one in October.
March, May and October each saw three charges laid under the Criminal Code from pursuits.
March, April, May and October each saw one arrest from pursuits.