The Barrie Police Services Board has officially chimed into the conversation of involuntary addiction treatment, saying the tools currently available to law enforcement are not enough. The board’s comments come almost a month after Premier Doug Ford spoke on the topic, suggesting he would be “open” to involuntary treatment. “As long as we can help them and help the communities,” said Ford at an Sept. 10 press conference. The Barrie Police Services Board released a statement on Thursday, supporting Ford’s comments. “The Barrie Police Service Board echoes Premier Doug Ford’s recent comments regarding involuntary addiction treatment to help ensure individuals experiencing severe and complex addictions receive the care they need,” the board said. The board said Barrie police officers respond to addiction related calls on a daily basis and see firsthand the impacts of addiction on families and the community. “We keep sending police officers to the same crises, knowing that the current system does not have the tools to break the cycle,” the board said. “The Barrie Police Service Board supports continued provincial movement towards involuntary addiction treatment, with the resources needed to provide meaningful, long-term change, including for those unwilling or unable to seek help for themselves,” the board said. “The current approach is not working,” said the board. Barrie Police were not available for comment. The board’s statement came on the same day that Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall announced there were no remaining encampments on city property. CTV News also reached out to the Premier’s office to ask for updates on the province’s plan for involuntary treatment. The Ministry of Health replied, saying in part that HART Hubs have completed nearly 500,000 client interactions since their launch. “As part of our over $200 million Addictions Recovery Fund, we have also opened 500 new addiction treatment and recovery beds across the province,” the ministry said. “These beds are now serving over 7,000 clients each year. Our government also funds over 5,000 inpatient mental health beds in hospitals across the province, ensuring patients with mental health complications can get the care they need, where and when they need it,” the ministry added.
