The St. Thomas Police Service is to receive $787,000 in provincial funding over a three-year period for a pair of community-based safety and policing initiatives.
Some of that money will allow for a uniform officer to remain with the Mobile Outreach Support Team to ensure a public safety presence, explains Police Chief Chris Herridge.
The MOST team provides early and proactive intervention, de-escalation and safe transition to appropriate care for persons in crisis or at risk of crisis due to mental health or addictions issues.
Herridge added, “The police require a team of experts so we can triage these health-related calls and the appropriate assistance/supports can be provided.”
While he is greatly appreciative of the financial support he advised, “We need to push forward more funding provincially for all of us to enhance our mental health teams.”
The frustration is the police service in St. Thomas and elsewhere across the province have to apply for this funding every two or three years.
A portion of the provincial funding will support the foot patrol team, which aims to increase police visibility in busy areas, enhance a feeling of safety for residents and visitors and build bridges between the community and police.
Written by Ian McCallum
