Mayor Neil Ellis has initiated the Mayor’s Task Force aimed at addressing the addiction, mental health and homelessness crisis in our community. The task force will consist of Mayor Ellis as Chair, a council representative, Belleville Police Service representatives, Hastings County and other key community partners.
“The goal of the task force is to form an action plan that can be implemented quickly and make a measurable impact on the crisis our community is facing while we await further support from our federal and provincial partners,” said Mayor Neil Ellis. “By bringing together key agencies, leaders and subject matter experts, we hope to address both the emergent needs and root causes of addiction, mental health and homelessness, and their links to community safety.”
A motion to approve the membership of the task force and some final details is now expected to be presented at the next meeting of Belleville Council (October 6th) for approval.
Belleville Police Service is also intensifying enforcement efforts in the downtown area to address open-air drug use and related public safety concerns.
“Our officers have been and will continue to patrol public spaces, lay charges and seize illegal substances when open-air drug use is observed,” said Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd. “We’ve interjected countless incidents, made arrests, and removed dangerous drugs from our streets. This will continue. Open-air drug use is not acceptable in Belleville, and our community can expect to see even more visible police presence in the coming days.”
Police say that to date this year, 12 drug warrants were executed by the Street Crime/Intel Unit, several involving multiple residences. Additionally, four individuals have been charged with possession under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the downtown area.
Enforcement is further supported by the Service’s Community-Oriented Responsive Enforcement (CORE) initiative and the extended CORE+ operational plan, which coordinates efforts and delivers proactive enforcement with City By-law, Fire and Emergency Services, AGCO, and the Downtown District BIA.
While enforcement is being strengthened, the City of Belleville and Belleville Police Service emphasize that safety efforts must be paired with broader solutions. Federal prosecution challenges remain at the possession level, but Belleville Police will continue to seize drugs, lay charges and pursue every available enforcement tool to keep public spaces safe.
(PAUL MARTIN)
