Kincardine Council received an annual report from the South Bruce OPP about the happenings within the detachment area.
South Bruce OPP Inspector Keegan Wilcox shared the 2024 statistics for cases within South Bruce, and how the numbers have changed since 2022.
There were positives within the report, including a downward trend in the instance of break & enter thefts, which decreased from 103 in 2022, to 74 in 2024.
Wilcox shared that there has been a big jump in the number of fraud cases. South Bruce OPP responded to 212 fraud calls last year.
“Frauds [have] a big impact on our communities, especially some of our vulnerable population,” Wilcox shared, adding that the detachment is working hard to prevent further fraud crimes. “Our community engagement officer is very engaged in providing that public education.”
The South Bruce OPP has also been keeping busy with community engagement, and participating in community events.
They have also been making great strides in addiction and mental health-related calls through the Mobile Crisis Response Team.
The MCRT program is a collaboration between the South Bruce detachment, the Grey Bruce detachment, and Brightshores Health System.
“In 2024, our officers responded to 418 mental health and addictions-related calls for service, and our MCRT nurse supported officers in 52% of those occurrences,” Wilcox explained. “This is a fantastic statistic to show the value in this program. This is a nurse who’s meeting people in the community when they’re in need, at the right place and the right time.”
In 2024, South Bruce OPP also welcomed a total of 10 new recruits to their detachment. Those new officers are assigned to both the Kincardine and Walkerton detachment locations.