In the first month of 2021, Regina Police Chief Evan Bray says members have been on scene for 29 overdoses with the amount of overdoses reported to emergency services to this date around 260 meaning four or five are being reported each day.
During a Board of Police Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Bray says when it comes to overdoses, they don’t attend every single one as there has been a change in service delivery.
“It is important that we be there if there is a possibility of criminal nature or element involved.” Bray said. “However, if it is just a drug overdose and it is someone who has an addiction problem and they have consumed drugs at a volume that is causing a risk to their health, we don’t always attend.”
When it comes to what area of the city or one demographic they can center on, Bray says you can’t.
“In the last year-and-a-half that we have been tracking this, we have found the average age to be 38 although we have seen them as young as 12 and some that are in their 60’s and 70’s.” Bray said. “We can’t say it’s a problem for just youth or one age demographic. We have an interactive map that we can access each day seeing where these overdoses are happening and what the age of those overdosing are.”
Bray says they are collaboratively working with the Ministry of Health and community-based partners to try and limit the harm being caused.
