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The second of four annual Police Services Board meetings was held Wednesday afternoon at City Hall, where board members and Inspector Sarah Darraugh of the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP Detachment discussed the latest policing statistics pertaining to Pembroke and the surrounding area.
Most notable were the decreases in several categories, including violent crime and drug offences, which are down 22.9 per cent and 64.1 per cent year to date, respectively. Darraugh said the figures reflect the diligence of officers in the region as they carry out their mandate to maintain a strong and effective presence in the community.
One category that is clearly on the rise is the number of Mental Health Act occurrences, which stands at 292 year to date, compared with 262 during the same period in 2025. A total of 121 of the 153 occurrences recorded between April and June of this year fall under the Mental Health Act subheading.
Despite the decline in reported criminal activity, some residents have questioned the validity of the statistics in light of what appears to be an increase in the number of homeless encampments that have appeared in the city in recent months.
Mayor Ron Gervais issued the following statement in response to those concerns to MBC Media. It reads:
“The City recognizes the concerns residents have and the difficulties social issues can cause in the community. We also recognize the need for services in the community to support those dealing with addiction or who are unhoused.
Action on these issues is a collaborative effort, and we praise the work of the Renfrew County Mesa HART Hub – of which the City of Pembroke is a funder – in being the lead and bringing support to our region. Their work, along with the Renfrew County & District Drug Strategy, is focused on minimizing harm, providing help, and keeping the community safe. As the experts in this work, they can speak more to their action plan.”
Inspector Darraugh also addressed the issue, saying the OPP is well aware of the encampments and is taking steps to address public concerns while continuing to work closely with the various agencies involved.
She also acknowledged that there are a handful of individuals who choose to remain in these encampments and said the role of police is to ensure the safety of both homeowners and unhoused individuals alike.
Both the City and the OPP recognize there is a degree of frustration among many residents, and both organizations have pledged to continue working together with community partners toward the shared goal of maintaining a safe and healthy city.
Repeated requests to MESA for comment have gone unanswered at the time of publication.
The next Police Services Board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 23 and the public is welcome to attend either in person or via live stream.
(Written By: Richard Evans)
