OPEN-AIR SUBSTANCE USE STRATEGY

STRATEGY TO ADDRESS OPEN-AIR SUBSTANCE USE

LONDON, ON (April 8, 2025) – The London Police Service (LPS) is commencing a new strategy to address the significant concerns of open-air substance use in public spaces. The strategy emphasizes kindness, compassion, and engagement, while prioritizing safety for the greater community.  

“Drugs and drug-related crime remain the top policing concern identified by our community. Local businesses, residents, and citizens across our city have been impacted by the proliferation of open-air substance use in public spaces.  We’ve heard these concerns, and we will be increasing police presence, particularly in the downtown, Midtown, and Old East Village areas,” said Chief Thai Truong, London Police Service.  “Starting tomorrow, our community will see more police engagement, including officer teams paired with mental health and addictions experts from CMHA Thames Valley. In the coming months, these efforts will be strengthened by the addition of nurse-police teams from London Health Sciences Centre.  The success of this strategy depends on partnerships, community, and engagement. This is not about criminalizing addiction; it’s about offering people a way forward and ensuring our shared public spaces remain safe and welcoming.” 

The primary goal of the LPS is to provide pathways to support services, while enhancing real and perceived public safety. The strategy involves engaging the community to address substance use in public spaces effectively. Recent community surveys and community complaints indicate a strong concern regarding public safety, with a significant number of London residents expressing drug-related crime as a primary concern.

“Everyone in our city deserves to feel safe and supported—whether they’re visiting a park, walking downtown, or struggling with addiction,” said Mayor Josh Morgan. “This strategy reflects the kind of collaborative, community-based approach London needs: one that listens to residents, supports frontline teams, and prioritizes dignity and public safety in equal measure.” 

This new strategy aims to bridge the gap between compassion for individuals struggling with substance use disorders and the community’s need for safety. 

Teams of officers, in collaboration with community partners, will be deployed on foot within downtown, Midtown and Old East Village.  This approach allows for consistent engagement and will help to build trust within the community. 

Collaboration with the City of London, healthcare providers, social services, harm-reduction organizations, and community groups is crucial to achieving community safety. 

“The demand for mental health and addiction services continues to grow, and it’s clear no single organization can meet this challenge alone. Through partnerships like this one, we can expand our reach, provide compassionate community-based care, and support paths to recovery,” said Pam Tobin, CEO, CMHA Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services.

“At London Cares, we work under the four pillars of the Canadian Drug Strategy which include, prevention, harm-reduction, enforcement and treatment. By working collaboratively with our community partners, we will be able to address the needs of the community more effectively, through both compassion and harm-reduction,” said Chris Moss, Executive Director, of London Cares. “This project and partnership will allow us to continue to support the unhoused Londoners on their journey from street to home.”

“Real change doesn’t happen in silos. The only way to address the complex realities of substance abuse in our community is through collaboration – health care, police outreach teams, and community agencies – working side-by-side,” said David Musyj, Supervisor, London Health Sciences Centre. “At LHSC, we’re proud to support this strategy because we know that meaningful, lasting impact comes from working together.”

As part of this new initiative, we are seeking feedback from community members. Participation is completely voluntary and anonymous.

For media inquiries, contact:

Sgt. Sandasha Bough
Media Relations Officer
C. 519-854-8576
Email. Media Officer

*To watch the live-stream footage of the press conference held on April 8, 2025, visit this link.