Some “staggering” numbers have come out regarding drug investigations related to Downtown Guelph this year.
Insp. Andrew Goody provided a snapshot of the downtown activity during Thursday’s Guelph Police Services Board meeting, amid a time where discussions are happening around open drug use in the core.
Over 35 people have been arrested this year, with over 65 drug-related charges laid, including trafficking.
“Signficant quantities of various drugs, including cocaine, meth, fentanyl and carfentanyl have been seized, among others,” Goody said.
As well, over $35,000 has been seized, along with two handguns and several replicas.
This comes after 18 different drug-related investigations conducted relating to Downtown Guelph.
“That doesn’t mean those investigations are specifically occurring in the downtown, but they are directed toward those who are supplying drugs who live in our downtown community, or access our downtown community,” Goody said.
It was made a point to note not all results happen in the moment, and that investigations take time to put together before arrests are made.
A summer-long investigation made public Thursday was highlighted.
Three people were charged in that sting, which started after officers were informed by “several sources” about them providing fentanyl to people downtown.
The numbers come amid discussions around open drug use in the downtown core.
“Those numbers are high, which clearly states that there’s a problem,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie, who called the stats staggering. “And the fact that we did actually, almost two years ago, start to put some resources into the downtown was forward-thinking, to make sure we got a handle on this.
“Imagine if we were having this discussion today without those resources.”
Chief Gord Cobey said these results would “absolutely not” be possible without the budgetary investments for dedicated units and resources in the downtown.
The police activity hasn’t been all negative in 2024.
Goody noted police have had 804 positive community contacts in the city to date in 2024.
Of that, 266 – or 33 per cent – were in the downtown area.
He also highlighted how police take direction from residents on trouble spots, and send out what he called directed patrols.
Of the 1,178 such patrols this year, almost 80 per cent have been downtown.
Goody then referenced an incident earlier this month that led to charges for a man and woman, caught on video allegedly having sex in a crowded public area.
“We just want to really encourage the members of the public if you witness criminal activity, or if you need assistance, please call the police,” said Goody. “We have investigative tools that can assist with investigating things at the forefront immediately.”
He emphasized response times in Downtown Guelph are less than three minutes, and officers can get there “in a timely manner and investigate appropriately.”
