The town of Placentia is looking for a greater police presence in the region following a recent increase in violent crime.

Drug-fueled crime has hit the region in a big way the past year, culminating in a harrowing Christmas period in which a section of town was confined to quarters for a lengthy period.

Placentia Town Council met with the RCMP this week. Mayor Keith Pearson would like to see more officers assigned to the area, and police have agreed to attend a public forum to provide information and take questions.

Council met with @RCMPNL this evening to discuss community policing within the Town of Placentia. Plans are underway for a Public Community Session in the near future. #CommunityPolicing #publicsafety pic.twitter.com/B4sVbakpLc

— Town of Placentia (@TownofPlacentia) February 1, 2023

Mayor Pearson says having the detachment building in the town doesn’t necessarily equate to a fast response. It took officers about an hour to get to the scene of a break and enter in Placentia recently. He says a lot can happen in an hour, particularly if a weapon is involved.

It might be a situation where the officer is at home and on call, so in that situation it will take a lot more time for them to respond, he says.