CORNWALL, Ontario – Cornwall Police Service (CPS) Chief Danny Aikman delivered his annual report for 2019 to the Police Services Board on Thursday, Dec. 3.
The statistical summary of CPS’ year showed an increase in both arrests, and charges laid when compared to the previous year, 2018.
Total arrests made in 2019 were 1,846 compared to 1,718 in 2018. Criminal code charges laid in 2019 were 4,617, up from 4,400 in 2018. The biggest increase was in the area of provincial offenses, which were up to 2,426 in 2019 compared to 1,633 in 2018.
In terms of calls, the CPS responded to over 18,000 calls in 2019, with Chief Aikman highlighting the increase in mental health calls.
“Mental health calls continue to increase in our community. Over the course of the decade mental health calls have increased in the order of 250 per cent,” Aikman told the Police Services Board.
The CPS 2019 Annual Report also highlights a series of successes and accomplishments of the service that took place last year, including the launching of the Vibrant Communities – Our Safety and Wellbeing Plan.
The province of Ontario mandated that communities have a Community Safety plan. The CPS plan was created in partnership with the Social Development Council and regional municipalities. The plan focuses on four community pillars including mental health, access to health services, poverty, and community safety.
The CPS Annual Report also highlights the accomplishments of their officers, including Cst. Jeff Lalonde who received the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in 2019, Dispatcher Mylene Lacroix who received the On Duty Difference Maker Award from the Ontario Police Association, and Sgt. Scott Coulter, who was the inspiration for a book written by local ER doctor Melissa Yuan-Innes.
