Law enforcement have long acted under the accepted belief that the presence of police is intrinsically tied to the prevalence of crime: More officers on the streets means people are less likely to break the law.

But in Yellowknife, where a brewing clash between the rights of business owners, residents, and the needs of a vulnerable downtown population have come to a head in recent weeks SA国际影视传媒� likely fuelled by violence near the sobering centre and day shelter, which has exasperated neighbours along 50 Street SA国际影视传媒� what does police visibility actually do?

The question was posed by city councillor Shauna Morgan to Insp. Alex Laporte, citySA国际影视传媒檚 top cop, during a discussion of Yellowknife 's priorities for the year ahead SA国际影视传媒� part of an annual review of the detachmentSA国际影视传媒檚 objectives.

Police visibility, conducting patrols downtown and in other areas of the city where SA国际影视传媒渧isibility is required,SA国际影视传媒� has again been identified by council as a top policing priority SA国际影视传媒� along with reducing the number of frequent emergency service users and tackling substance abuse through SA国际影视传媒減roactiveSA国际影视传媒� enforcement.

Morgan, who stressed she wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 criticizing police visibility as a priority, said itSA国际影视传媒檚 important to ask questions about the impact of the practice.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think sometimes when we say visibility thereSA国际影视传媒檚 an assumption that ... having some powerful-looking person in a uniform is a) going to make people feel safe and b) going to stop bad people from doing bad things,SA国际影视传媒� said Morgan.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have to question those assumptions sometimes and question the effectiveness," she continued.

For marginalized and oft-victimized members of the community, the sight of an officer in uniform does not inspire feelings of safety.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need to change that,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding that it sounds like the detachment is trying to do just that.

Laporte, who fielded questions and feedback from councillors on policing priorities following a monthly presentation of statistics, said that when officers are patrolling downtown, theySA国际影视传媒檙e doing more than just making themselves visible.

TheySA国际影视传媒檙e shaking hands with residents, visiting businesses and building relationships SA国际影视传媒� part of a SA国际影视传媒渜ualitySA国际影视传媒� approach to patrols he encourages his officers to embrace, said Laporte.

Morgan said part of the need to question assumptions surrounding visibility is a concern that the presence of police on city streets simply drives crime and violence into SA国际影视传媒渢he shadows.SA国际影视传媒�

On April 9, a chaotic scene erupted near the intersection of 51 Avenue and 50 Street after an alleged assault shut down a stretch roadway in front of the joint sobering centre and day shelter, sending two to hospital with injuries.

One man has since been charged with assault and assault causing bodily harm in connection with the incident.

Outside council chambers on Monday, Laporte told Yellowknifer the daytime altercation was an example of crime coming out the shadows.

Following the incident, as Mounties appealed for witnesses and searched for suspects, more officers were seen patrolling the area.

Downtown patrols are nothing new, Laporte told Yellowknifer, but members are listening and adapting to evolving concerns in the area SA国际影视传媒� and to specific indents, including the last weekSA国际影视传媒檚 alleged assault.

SA国际影视传媒淲e did engage our members in uniforms and plain clothes and said SA国际影视传媒榟ey, throughout all your other priorities SA国际影视传媒� letSA国际影视传媒檚 be visible,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� he said.

Since the new year, have been more visible in the downtown core, according to figures provided by Yellowknife .

Mounties conducted 59 patrols downtown last month, which was nine more than in February, and 16 more than the number recorded in January.

In February, 13 patrols were conducted in the area around the sobering centre and day shelter. Last month, 20 of the nearly 60 downtown patrols were dedicated to the same area.

The spike in patrols is on pace with a detachment and city-wide upswing.

There were 726 SA国际影视传媒渧isibility patrolsSA国际影视传媒� conducted in Yellowknife last year SA国际影视传媒� more than double the amount recorded in 2017. In Ndilo in 2018, police mounted 287 visibility patrols, compared to 96 carried out the year before. The number of visibility patrols in Dettah SA国际影视传媒� 243 SA国际影视传媒� remained unchanged from 2017 to 2018, according to statistics offered to council.