THUNDER BAY — Thunder Bay Police Service officers responded to 924 calls for service between April 5 and April 11, reflecting another busy week for frontline policing in the city. The numbers show a mix of criminal incidents, public safety concerns, traffic calls and mental health-related responses, underscoring the broad range of demands placed on local officers and dispatchers.
The weekly totals also highlight the heavy volume handled behind the scenes by the Thunder Bay Police Service Communications Centre, which processed 4,389 calls during the same period, including 1,855 made directly to 911.
Unwanted persons, collisions and intimate partner violence among top call types
According to the weekly breakdown, the largest single category listed was unwanted persons, with officers attending 92 such calls.
Police also responded to 54 motor vehicle collisions, 39 intimate partner violence calls, 33 Mental Health Act calls and 31 assault-related incidents.
Other call types included 17 break and enters, 13 weapons calls, 12 family disputes and 12 motor vehicle thefts.
On average, officers responded to about 132 calls for service per day during the seven-day period, while the communications centre handled roughly 627 calls a day. The 911 line alone averaged about 265 calls each day.
What the numbers show
The weekly figures suggest police resources continue to be split across crime, social disorder, family violence, mental health and traffic enforcement.
The high number of unwanted persons calls points to a recurring pressure point in Thunder Bay policing, as officers are often dispatched to businesses, apartment buildings and other locations where people are reported to be refusing to leave or causing concerns.
Meanwhile, the 39 intimate partner violence calls and 31 assault calls show that violent incidents continue to account for a significant share of police response work.
Mental Health Act calls also remained a major category, reflecting the ongoing intersection between policing, health care and crisis response in the community.
Communications centre faces steady demand
The communications centre’s workload far exceeded the number of officer-dispatched calls, with 4,389 total calls handled over the week. That gap reflects the reality that not every incoming call results in a dispatched incident, but each still requires assessment, triage and, in some cases, referral or followup.
Of the total calls handled, 1,855 came through 911. That means more than four in 10 calls processed by the communications centre were emergency calls.
Why the weekly data matters
Weekly police statistics offer a snapshot of the pressures facing law enforcement and emergency communications in Thunder Bay. They also provide some insight into broader community issues, including violence in relationships, property crime, public disorder and mental health crises.
The figures do not represent charges laid or convictions secured. Instead, they reflect the volume and type of incidents police were called to attend during the week.
