Sudbury police planning a ‘compassionate’ crackdown on open drug use downtown

Reversing a previous policy, police in Greater Sudbury say they will no longer turn a blind eye when people openly use drugs in the city’s downtown.

Greater Sudbury police say they are committed to clamping down on open drug use in downtown Sudbury, including arresting people who are openly using illegal drugs.

Once a rare sight, the use of needles and other forms of illegal drug use has become a common sight in downtown Sudbury, something that police say poses a safety risk.

“Residents, workers and visitors in the downtown core are routinely exposed to the open-air drug scene, which includes illegal drug use and sales, substance intoxication and delirium, excessive littering, discarded drug paraphernalia and used needles, loitering, panhandling (including aggressive behaviour), and trespassing,” says a report headed to the police services board meeting Wednesday.

“This persistent environment poses serious risks to both public health and safety.”

Using a strategy called ‘Support First: 360° Community Safety Initiative,’ police say they want to “reverse” the normalization of open drug use using a “compassionate and accountable approach designed to support the full spectrum of our community, from the most vulnerable to the broader public.”

“With the backing of key stakeholders and public support, (police are) committed to reversing the normalization of 24/7 illicit open-air drug activity in public spaces that are intended to be welcoming, vibrant and safe,” the report said.

Officers will target certain areas, including parks and trails, playgrounds, transit hubs, sidewalks, laneways, storefronts and vacant lands.

The goal is to address the fact that residents now feel unsafe downtown, something that was clear from the results of a 2022 resident survey.

Concentrated downtown

“Safety is foundational to overall well-being and is closely tied to improved health outcomes, particularly for those most at risk,” the report said.

Many at-risk people in the city are victims of multi-generational trauma, but the infrastructure to deal with their complex needs has resulted in a large population of vulnerable people downtown.

“This has contributed to increased incidents of open-air drug use and incidents of incivility, violence, crime and social disorder,” the report said.

“The perceived permissiveness surrounding open-air drug use has heightened safety concerns among business owners, residents, and visitors — many of whom have expressed their distress through direct correspondence with (police).”

While police will work with social services agencies, police will arrest people openly using drugs “when required,” the report said.

“The goal is to foster peaceful coexistence, reduce illicit drug activity and improve health and safety outcomes for all. (Police) will be dedicating additional resources to the downtown core to enforce the open-air drug use.”

Read the full report here.