Motor Vehicle Collisions, Violence, and Mental Health Among Top Concerns for Officers
THUNDER BAY – From January 4 to January 10, Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) officers responded to 981 calls for service, reflecting a high volume of activity across the city.
This averages to almost 12 calls per hour, or one every five minutes. Now the calls to police are never evenly spaced out, with peak times, and other times when multiple officers are needed at the same time.
The TBPS Communications Centre fielded a total of 4,076 calls during the week, with 1,755 of those made directly to 911 — a reminder of the critical role emergency responders continue to play in maintaining public safety.
Key Police Responses (Jan 4–10):
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – 123
-
Intimate Partner Violence – 37
-
Mental Health Act-Related Calls – 37
-
Assaults – 20
-
Family Disputes – 18
-
Unwanted Persons – 72
-
Weapons Calls – 6
-
Robberies – 5
-
Break and Enters – 4
The number of motor vehicle collisions alone made up over 12% of police responses for the week, emphasizing the ongoing need for road safety — particularly during the winter season.
Meanwhile, a combined 74 calls for intimate partner violence and mental health-related concerns signal the continuing pressures residents face behind closed doors, with frontline officers increasingly acting as first responders to both criminal and crisis situations.
Community Safety Requires Shared Awareness
These weekly figures highlight the range of incidents TBPS is tasked with managing, from violent crime to mental health crises. The volume of calls related to unwanted persons also underscores ongoing issues related to public space and housing instability.
As the city continues into 2026, these statistics serve as a reminder of the daily challenges facing both residents and emergency responders in Thunder Bay.
Summary:
Thunder Bay Police responded to 981 calls last week, including 123 crashes and 37 IPV cases.
