Small-town Ontario police chief joins other top cops, rips bail for 'prolific offenders'
Article content
The chief of a small Southwestern Ontario police force has joined the chorus of top cops from larger local cities in decrying the release from custody of what they’ve all dubbed “prolific offenders.”
Kyle Johnstone is police chief in Aylmer, a town of 7,500 located 45 kilometres east of London that’s one of the few small communities in Ontario still with its own police force. In a statement, he slammed the pattern of people facing repeated criminal charges receiving bail from the courts.
Recommended Videos
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Small-town Ontario police chief joins other top cops, rips bail for 'prolific offenders' Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“We are seeing a troubling pattern where individuals with a demonstrated history of criminal behaviour are being released back into the community, only to reoffend within days,” he said in the statement. “I am further concerned when these offenders have large quantities of fentanyl in their possession.
“This cycle not only undermines public safety, but it also erodes the confidence of our citizens in the justice system.”
Johnstone citied a recent local case, which he said began on May 25 when a woman he described as “a known repeat offender” was charged with uttering threats against her landlord. She was released from custody and ordered to not contact the landlord, he added, but she was arrested on July 15 after breaching those conditions.
Police also found drugs, including fentanyl, Johnstone said, adding that she was “released on consent by the Crown and courts.”
Three days later, Johnstone said the woman was again arrested for breaching the bail conditions. Police also found “a significant quantity of fentanyl.”
In his statement, Johnstone noted: “These releases and the resulting re-victimization effects are felt exponentially in a small community.”
Police chiefs in local cities have spoken out similarly as well, recently.
London police Chief Thai Truong commented on social media after a manager at Joe Kool’s was stabbed July 7, while St. Thomas police Chief Marc Roskamp released a statement following a fire July 6 that razed an historic downtown building.
They both used the term “prolific offender” in detailing the charges in those cases and the fact the accused was on bail at the time the incidents occurred.
“This is not just a policing issue. There are broader societal challenges at play, and we must acknowledge that some individuals, regardless of their circumstances, pose a real and ongoing risk to public safety,” Truong wrote on social media on July 13.
“We will continue to work with our community leaders, the courts, and all levels of government to keep our community safe and find real, long-term solutions. Safety must come first.”
bbaleeiro@postmedia.com
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.