Sault’s police chief vows to find new ways to combat shoplifting

Sault’s police chief vows to “look at various alternative options” to combat shoplifting as the number of incidents reported to police continues to rise locally.

According to the most recent statistics, 940 shoplifting incidents have been reported at the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service in the first eight months of 2024 – an increase of 31.8 percent over the same time frame last year, when 710 incidents were reported.

During a police services board meeting Wednesday, Sault Ste. Marie Police Chief Hugh Stevenson noted that overall, property crimes are down significantly this year.

“But that has, in my opinion, been replaced by an increase in shoplifting, where they can simply walk into the store, steal the product and walk out again – and it takes a lot less effort,” Stevenson said in his presentation to the board.

“Unfortunately, statistics over the past two months have cumulatively shown this trend.”

Board Member of the Police Department and Ward 1 County. Sonny Spina asked the chief what his police department is currently doing to address the problem.

Stevenson said that while Sault Ste. Marie Police Service currently has a unit – known as the Central Support Bureau – that can conduct safety assessments and share Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) techniques with local store owners. He admitted that it “only goes so far.”

Spina responded that he would like to see shoplifting rates “start to decline,” adding that “proactive measures” such as target dates for reducing shoplifting incidents are needed.

“I know the chief is working hard to advocate at many different places and levels, and we are doing what we can to support him on the federal front as well. But locally, I would like to see us adapt locally and change our response to bring those numbers down because they just keep going up,” Spina said.

Stevenson has pledged to sit down with his senior commanders to look at some of the alternatives being used in other jurisdictions in an effort to come up with a “different plan” to reduce shoplifting incidents in the Sault. He expects to present that plan to the police services board at the next meeting in November.

After the open portion of Wednesday’s board meeting, the police chief told reporters that people in the past have not stolen because they knew there would be consequences.

“Why are they doing that today? The problem is the legal system. They know they will be bailed or released at some point, but they know they will get out,” Stevenson said. “There are no negative consequences to this behavior. What will stop this if their desire and need to feed their habit is always there?

But Stevenson says he is “excited” by an announcement from Ontario earlier this week calling on the federal government to “urgently” amend the Criminal Code by tightening bail laws to keep repeat offenders and violent offenders off the streets. keep.

The provincial government wants the FBI to immediately take the following actions to enhance public safety, including:

• Reinstate mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes, which this federal government has abolished, to ensure appropriate punishment and justice for victims
• Eliminate the availability of bail for offenders charged with murder, terrorism, human trafficking, intimate partner violence, drug trafficking, criminal possession or use of restricted or prohibited firearms, and theft (i.e., carjackings and home invasions)
• Mandate a three-strike rule requiring pretrial detention for repeat offenders so they are not allowed back on the streets to commit more crimes before appearing in court
• Reduce restrictions on who can receive suspended sentences for serious crimes, so that dangerous criminals receive sentences that match their actions
• Make ankle bracelets mandatory as a condition of bail for serious crimes.
• Remove credits that can be applied to sentences for the time a defendant spends in jail before trial for repeat and violent offenders.

The police chief applauded both Premier Doug Ford and Sault Ste. Marie MPP Ross Romano for “moving in this direction.”

“I support the Ontario government’s approach on this,” Stevenson said. “Anything more than what we have now is a good thing.”