Hamilton Chief of Police Frank Bergen addressed this year’s gun violence, the number of guns seized by Hamilton Police, and the latest failure by Hamilton Police to properly execute search warrants – the day before Bergen spoke, the Ontario Court of Justice quashed a search warrant due to the failure of Hamilton Police to provide full and honest disclosure.
On Gun Violence
Chief Bergen stated:
“I am once again raising collective concern with the troubling rise in gun violence. With 51 shootings reported so far this year, September 26th, we have matched the record-high number experienced in all of 2020. This is not the kind of record we want to set for our city.”
“A small number of individuals continue to engage in reckless behaviour that puts lives at risk.”
“This must stop.”
On Gun Seizures
Chief Bergen stated:
“We know gun seizures in Hamilton have become increasingly frequent.”
“This past Saturday, police responded to a call after a group walking on King Street was confronted by an individual who racked a firearm and pointed it at them. Our officers quickly responded and apprehended the suspect, who was found in possession of a loaded firearm, drugs and a significant amount of cash. This is just one example. ”
“Since January 2024, Hamilton police have seized 301 firearms, including 68 restricted weapons. These efforts have led to the arrest of 25 individuals, with 164 charges laid.”
“Yet we continue to experience reluctance from people willing to come forward for various reasons. The transient nature of gun violence, the prevalence of emerging youth gangs, precarious bail and recidivism, and in some instances, investigative missteps all compound the problem.”
On Police Warrant Issues and Court Rulings Quashing Evidence:
“Yesterday, I was informed of an adverse court ruling that unfortunately excluded a search warrant that had recovered a gun in R v. Mackenzie 2024.
“On a Charter application, the Hamilton police were found to have breached its obligation to be fully fair and frank, and its information application notwithstanding, no finding of intent to deceive the process. We fell short of the authorization process.”
“Chair, I recognize that initiative does not assure lack of training or adherence to policy. I will ensure that training, mentorship, supervision is reviewed in this matter.”
“I can assure you that the team that all shared this late last evening have already had conversations about what proper supervision and remedial training will be put in place. I will continue to inform the board when we do things amazingly well, and there are many times I do that, but I’ll also inform the board when we could do better.”
On Safety and Searches at Fall Fairs and Events
“Working closely with event organizers, specifically at our fall fairs, security measures were put in place like bag checks, ones and metal detectors conducted by security and fair staff.”
“Thanks to these efforts, two replica firearms, 75 knives and four cans of bear spray were seized before they got in through the gates.”
On Need for Public Assistance in Addressing Crime
Chief Bergen stated:
“With the current gun violence trajectory, we continue to remind our community, if you see something, say something, your voice could save lives.”
Note: Hamilton’s Police Services Board no longer streams its meetings on YouTube.
Production Details v. 1.0.0 Published: September 29, 2024 Last updated: September 29, 2024 Author: Joey Coleman Update Record v. 1.0.0 original version