The number of shootings so far in 2024 in the City of Hamilton has already surpassed last year’s total. Pictured: Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen. Photo Credit: Hamilton Police Service.
The Hamilton Police Service (HPS) recently provided insight into local crime and their work patrolling the city as part of their annual report.
The service, which includes 881 sworn officers, 270 civilians, 61 special constables, 18 cadets, and 30 auxiliaries, is one of the oldest policing services in the world. It was established in 1833.
The report includes an overview of various crime statistics for 2023.
Last year HPS investigated 35 shootings in the city, which is down 22 per cent from 2022.
The number of shootings so far in 2024 in the City of Hamilton has already surpassed last year’s total even though there are still three and a half months left in the year.
There have been at least 48 shootings in the city, leading police to make multiple appeals to the public for help with investigations.
“We often face challenges due to a lack of witness support, which hampers our investigations. Therefore, we urge all community members to come forward with any information they might have, no matter how small it may seem,” read an August press release from HPS.
The shootings in 2023 appear to have been more violent than in 2022, since there were 24 shooting victims (up 41 per cent from 2022) and seven shooting deaths (up 75 per cent).
There were 11 homicide victims in the city which is 120 per cent more than in 2022.
HPS also seized 282 firearms in 2023 which is down 47 per cent.
There were over 31,538 Criminal Code offences throughout the year (up 9 per cent).
In terms of street safety, the city saw 15 motor vehicle fatalities (down 38 per cent) and 32,262 traffic enforcement charges laid (down 23 per cent).
There were 263,042 emergency calls received (up 16.5 per cent) and 165,732 non-emergency calls (up 6.7 per cent), with the top five citizen-generated calls related to trespassers (7,090 calls), suspicious persons (6,520 calls), domestic incidents (6,276 calls), assisting an ambulance (5,547 calls), and motor vehicle accidents (5,085 calls).
HPS also outlined that they are in the process of executing their 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.
The service undertook “extensive environmental scanning” in early 2022 as part of consultation involving 6,500 local residents and 660 of their own members in order to inform their plan.
Through those surveys they found that the public’s top priority for police was property crime, followed by violent crime, guns and gangs, traffic enforcement, and domestic violence.
Through the consultation, HPS also outlined five key priorities: community safety, collaborative engagement, culture and capacity, core assets, and trusting change.
As part of that Strategic Plan, HPS notes that they have introduced Core Patrol in Downtown Hamilton, established the Street Level Violence Intervention Response Team, and launched the Youth Engagement Series to improve community safety.
As part of collaborative engagement, HPS notes that they appointed an Indigenous Liaison Officer and launched an Indigenous Strategy.
In regard to culture and capacity, the service hired an Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator, established a Member Support Team for officers, and implemented an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion framework.
Efforts to protect core assets and advance change include enhancing frontline efficiencies, implementing a fleet modernization plan, and launching their new Hate Crime Dashboard.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
