Impaired driving is the #1 criminal cause of death in Canada and, yet, every impaired driving crash is preventable. (MADD) Campaign 911 is a Canada-wide campaign to encourage and empower the Canadian public to report suspected impaired driving by calling 911.

RIDE programs and traffic stops help to discourage and intercept impaired driving. Staff Sergeant John Hatch partly attributes the higher numbers to his officers for being on the roads at one, two or three o’clock in the morning. “They are patrolling the roads, stopping these cars, and we are pulling these impaired drivers, where maybe 10 years ago, we weren’t as pro-active, or we didn’t have the staff and we weren’t able to get those impaired drivers off the road.” While the impaired driving stats are up, Hatch says 99.9 percent of those relate to alcohol, not because of cannabis.

The new Uride program and summer evening shuttles provide transportation options to reduce impaired driving.

In 2023, 170 incidents of fraud were reported. The increase in reports may be related to increased awareness and comfort with reporting. Seniors are disproportionately targeted as victims of online fraud and phone scams.  “These frauds, these scams, they are getting very sophisticated and very real and we will continue educating the public.” Staff Sergeant John Hatch.

Research indicates that fraud is highly underreported, with as little as just 5 – 10% of cases actually being reported to authorities, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) There is also a significant social stigma attached to victims of fraud, who may feel shame or embarrassment at being targets and refuse to seek help or report the instances to authorities and support agencies. In 2022, the CAFC received fraud reports totalling a staggering $530 million in victim losses. This was nearly a 40% increase from the 2021, unprecedented $380 million in losses.

Alternatives for Women provides free and confidential supportive counselling and second stage housing to women in Prince Edward County facing domestic violence or abusive relationships. Julie Watson, Executive Director states “The need for these services continues to be paramount in Prince Edward County, and the agency hopes that with continued education and support one day this cycle will be broken.”

If you are in need of support, visit https://www.alternativesforwomen.org or the crisis line at 613-476-2787.

In July 2022, the PEC OPP implemented IMPACT (integrated mobile police and co-response team), which Hatch says has “revolutionized policing”.

“We have two front-line workers, who work with the Mental Health Association, and if we get a call from someone with a mental health crisis, officers go to scene, de-escalate the scene, and the two mental health officers will be called, and maybe we don’t have to apprehend that person, or put them in handcuffs.”

He said since implementing IMPACT, the number of apprehensions have decreased, and the number of apprehensions requiring a hospital visit have decreased by 80 per cent.

“What that does… It doesn’t traumatize that person who is going through the mental health crisis; it doesn’t tie up two officers who have to wait at hospital, and the IMPACT workers can follow-up with the person the next day.”