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Emergency calls about intimate partner violence have dropped dramatically since Windsor police began a new initiative earlier this fall.
The Windsor Police Services Board this week learned calls for service related to intimate partner violence are down 29 per cent since September, when the force began working closely with social service providers to aid victims.
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“It’s probably correlated. We’re not sure,” said police Chief Jason Bellaire on Thursday. “But it’s nice to know that since we introduced subject-matter experts to help victims, we have seen a corresponding reduction in repeat calls.”
Ninety per cent of intimate partner violence victims have been offered real-time expert support since the new strategy rolled out, he said. Of those, 78 per cent have accepted assistance.
In September, Windsor police announced a partnership with local social service agencies — Windsor Regional Hospital, Hiatus House, and Family Services Windsor-Essex — to provide real-time support to victims of intimate partner violence.
The goal is to ensure victims’ physical safety, to separate them from immediate danger, and to establish connections with them and encourage them to seek help.
The initiative is an extension of an IPV Early Intervention Program launched in June.
Last year, city police responded to 3,400 incidents of intimate partner violence.
Violent crimes of all kinds have dropped, Bellaire said. In the Glengarry neighbourhood downtown, the city’s most violent area, zero violent crimes were reported in 12 of the last 16 weeks under a new policing initiative.
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On Aug. 10, Windsor police launched a stepped-up crime-fighting initiative, with officers stationed inside 333 Glengarry Ave. at all times. An outreach event there last month, a Community Care Fair, saw health care workers on site to support residents.
Crimes against persons reported in Windsor are down 32 per cent since August. Property crime is down 10 per cent, drug crime is down 30 per cent.
Prior to August, the Glengarry neighbourhood had been Windsor’s top geographic location for intimate partner violence. Calls for police service related to intimate partner violence have dropped 34 per cent.
“We’re seeing some positive results,” Bellaire told reporters. “I truly believe that that investment of different services (is) addressing these issues, taking a business mind to the problem we’re having, treating people humanely but treating people firmly, and giving people an opportunity to thrive.”
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In light of the Glengarry neighbourhood initiative’s success, Bellaire said Windsor police will launch another geographically based, targeted initiative to fight crime in another neighbourhood later this month.
“The public can actually expect to see us using a similar strategy with a high-visibility, enhanced collaborative response at another geographical location.
“We’re having some success with these programs by using a data-driven strategy to address these areas in our neighbourhoods, and working specifically with the people and the entities that can provide the supports that victims need, or provide the expertise that police can use
“We’re bringing in these support services in a more meaningful way than ever in our history, and we’re remaining there,” Bellaire said.
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