Over the past few years, harm reduction has been the subject of numerous discussions at Regina police and city council meetings.
Although there has been talk, many residents of the community believe that more action is still required.
At the 2022 Board of Police Commissioners Community Information Night, the subject was the main topic of conversation throughout the evening on Thursday.
Questions were directed at both Chief of Police Evan Bray and Mayor of the City of Regina Sandra Masters regarding the city’s aims for enhancing harm reduction and how they would provide better support for mental health in Regina.
After reaching record levels the previous two years, early data from the Saskatchewan coroners service indicates that the number of overdoses will continue to rise in 2022.
The overdose issue is unquestionably real and a concern in the city of Regina, according to Bray.
We are aware that damage reduction is only a stopgap measure while long-term solutions are sought.
The subject was up for discussion among the locals, and many of them provided ideas for potential remedies. Some advised adding more drug support facilities with open doors around-the-clock, while others suggested adding more facilities that are conveniently located for those without transportation.
Another kind of exciting concept, according to Masters, is the possibility of mobile services that may travel to where people are and meet them there.
According to Shylo Stevenson, a support executive with the Warriors of Hope community assistance team, the city has regressed in terms of its support systems, particularly for the homeless population.
Stevenson declared, “We are in a worse situation right now than we were last year.
“We don’t have this year the resources we had last year with the 24-hour warming centre and other groups being able to supply goods,”
People in attendance were interested in learning more about a prospective expansion of the police and crisis team because the demand for mental health resources has increased. The Regina Police Department and the Saskatchewan Health Authority have formed a team to better handle circumstances where someone may be experiencing a mental health crisis.
There are now two teams in Regina, but according to Bray, there may soon be a third.
It is our hope that we will be heading into 2023 with an expansion of that beneficial programme because “we have been working with them to try to emphasise our PACT team as one of those efforts,” Bray said.
The board was questioned about how it intended to improve its accountability with regard to these matters, but no specific, detailed action plan was given.
Residents of Regina are anticipating the municipal and police’s response to the harm reduction problems.
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