Intimate partner violence a focus of Sudbury police meeting

The Sudbury Police Services Board passed a motion calling for the province's support in passing Bill 173, which calls for intimate partner violence to be declared an epidemic. (File)

Meeting on Wednesday, the Greater Sudbury Police Services board shared its 2023 audit for its property division, which includes items processed as evidence, found property or property stored for safe-keeping.

In 2023, the report said there were 525 firearm confiscations, up from 463 in 2022. Insp. Robert Norman said it doesn't necessarily indicate an increase in crime.

"The difference in that is not necessarily an increase in crime or violence," he said. "These are firearms that have been processed through our property division."

A portion of the confiscations were investigations related to intimate partner violence.

"Twenty-one per cent of our numbers in 2023 stemmed from intimate partner violence investigations,” Norman said.

“Those firearms are seized as a safety precaution while the investigation is underway, not necessarily because firearms are used in a criminal offence.

When an IPV investigation starts, Norman said a victim's safety is paramount.

"In order to protect the victims of crime and the public throughout the investigations, we will seize (firearms) under our legislative Criminal Code authority to ensure we're protecting the right people in those situations," he said.

The board passed a motion calling for the province's support in passing Bill 173, which calls for intimate partner violence to be declared an epidemic.