Police don't want bears shot: Chief Davies

Unless there is an immediate threat to public safety we won't shoot a bear, said Sault Ste. Marie City Police Chief Bob Davies yesterday.

"Just because a member of the public calls doesn't mean we'll shoot it [the bear]," he told members of the Police Services Board on Thursday afternoon.

He also said that police don't advise residents to shoot at bears unless someone is in clear and immediate danger.

"We don't want people firing guns around in residential neighbourhoods and, if they do, you can rest assured there will be an investigation of this."

Davies was answering questions from board member Ian MacKenzie who said he didn't understand why city police officers are now responsible for bear control even though they don't have knowledge or training to do so.

"You've got to be really careful," he said. "It baffles me that police are looking after it and not the MNR [Ministry of Natural Resources]."  

(Editor's note: The photo shown is for illustration purposes only and is not a photograph taken in this area.)

As reported earlier by SooToday.com the Ministry has recently divested itself of responsibility for bear control and placed that responsibility in the hands of municipalities.

Ministry representatives will still be available to municipalities, but only in an advisory capacity.

They will no longer be trapping and relocating nuisance bears, contracting out that activity or taking any measures other than public education to control them.

MacKenzie said he is concerned about the safety of police officers confronting bears and of citizens in the area where individuals may feel the need to shoot at bears.

Davies said that it's usually the tactical team that responds to bear calls and there are a number of protocols they follow before finally shooting a bear only if absolutely necessary.

"If it's in the area of a school [that a bear sighting is reported] then police will call or visit the school to alert them to take precautions," said Davies.

When a bear or bears are habitually returning to a school or particular neighbourhood, Davies said the tactical team will seek guidance from the Ministry of Natural Resources representatives.

"They [the tactical team] will try to scare it off and educate the residents on how to make sure they don't attract it back again," he said.

While Davies was telling Police Board members about Sault Ste. Marie Police's new role in the Bear Wise program SooToday.com received two tips that a large black bear was spotted downtown.

We were unable to confirm these sightings but it seems to appear that bears are bolder and more plentiful in and around the city last fall and this spring.

One resident of Point Loiuse Drive told SooToday.com that a bear heavily damaged his vehicle while it was parked in his driveway a few days ago.

"The bear wounded a raccoon and it went up on the engine to get away," said Peter Gagnon. "The bear dented the hood, damaged the front end pretty badly while trying to get it."

Gagnon said he wanted to let people in the area know that bears are around and they are hungry.

Davies said that last year the police shot two bears although they were called out to many sightings.

"It's hard to say if it's more bears or just more people reporting the same bears," he said.