THUNDER BAY — Residents will have more opportunities to speak to the chief of the Thunder Bay Police Service about community issues in upcoming townhall meetings.
Chief Darcy Fleury said it's crucial for him and the service to know what's important to people and ensure a well-rounded approach to the community when addressing concerns.
Fleury talked about what people say when they approach him in the community.
"They come up to me, and they have some questions as to what policing is and where we're going with policing," Fleury said.
"One of the big questions, still to this day since I arrived, is, 'Can we go down that road of more community-oriented policing?' Officers on foot patrol, that kind of thing . . . We're probably going to see some of those questions."
Fleury also outlined a video question-and-answer series that TBPS will produce and share on various platforms, similar to answering frequently asked questions.
"Later on this year, we're going to be launching a survey so people can send in and get answers to those questions and tell us what they want.
"[This] gives us a bigger reach," said Fleury, noting that not everyone attends these types of community meetings.
The chief said he feels the service is moving in the right direction and that the community recognizes the work being done by officers.
"I think that community engagement is really, really being seen in the community and getting a lot of positive feedback about individual officers and units and what they're doing."
A report and snapshot will likely be made available to the public one week after each meeting.
Information on dates, times and locations for the Chat with the Chief: Policing in Our Community townhalls will be announced at a later date.
Those looking to ask questions or discuss concerns for these meetings can submit them through this link.
