London’s police chief delivered his annual update on the state of the police service to a council committee on Tuesday afternoon. The update came off the back of a weekend which saw half-a-dozen shootings. Chief Thai Truong told the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (CPPC), “Six shootings occurred between rival street gangs, bringing the year-to-date total to 28.” Police forensic unit markers were still visible on a home on Gatewood Road Tuesday morning. The markers indicated where bullets hit the home. The owners declined to speak on camera but told CTV News the home was actually targeted three times over two days. No injuries were reported in relation to any of the weekend gunfire incidents. Chief Truong stressed that the city has actually been trending lower when it comes to serious crimes. He points to the Crime Severity Index (CSI) produced by Statistics Canada. The data shows London has been below the national average in 2023 and 2024. Truong told the committee it’s the first time that’s happened since they started measure CSI. He admits the surge in gun crimes may change that and notes that many communities are seeing increased violent crimes involving youth. He believes underfunding the police service has contributed to a growth in street gangs in London, “Our people are doing some incredible work. We have great officers in units targeting organized crime, but still we have we’ve been under resourced for a very long time.” Chief Truong also addressed other issues related to policing. He said the service has seen increased community engagement, addressed organizational wellness and lowered response times. Committee members expressed ongoing concerns about road safety, despite a reduction in fatal collisions in recent years.
