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CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
‘Reckless and stupid': Impaired driving spike in Hamilton leads to six deaths in two months
Two people are dead after a fatal collision in Hamilton on Sunday June 1, 2025 (CP24 photo). Hamilton police say there has been a 'significant' spike in impaired driving across the city in the past two months that has led to the deaths of six people. New statistics released Friday indicate that impaired driving incidents increased by 25 per cent in May of 2025 compared to the same month last year. Police describe June's number as 'even more alarming,' citing a 53 per cent rise from the same month in 2024. Overall, they say impaired driving in Hamilton is up 11 per cent year-to-date. 'Impaired driving is on the rise in Hamilton. This means more people are making reckless, stupid, life-altering decisions, not just for themselves, but for everyone else on the road,' Hamilton police chief Frank Bergen said in a video posted to social media on Friday. 'This is a dangerous and deeply troubling trend, and it's got to stop.' Since the beginning of June, there have been three fatal collisions in the city that police say were directly linked to alcohol impairment. Six people died as a result, including a 10-year-old child. Also on Friday, police said they arrested and charged a 32-year-old Hamilton man in the deaths of two people in an overnight crash on Stoney Creek Mountain. The three-vehicle crash happened shortly after midnight on June 1 in the area of Upper Centennial Parkway between Mud Street East and Green Mountain Road. Crash Two people are dead after a fatal collision in Hamilton on Sunday June 1, 2025 (CP24 photo). Police said a 2014 Ford F-150 and 2014 Chevrolet Silverado were both driving southbound on Upper Centennial when the F-150 collided with the Silverado. The F-150 then crossed into the northbound lanes and hit a 2015 Kia Sorento head-on, police said. Both the driver and passenger of the Sorento were pronounced dead on the scene. On July 24, police arrested Nemanja Trivanovic. He is charged with multiple offences under the Criminal Code and Highway Traffic Act including two counts each of dangerous operation causing death, impaired operation causing death, and over 80 causing death, as well as stunt driving, speeding (140 km/h in a 70 km/h zone), defective brakes, and operating an unsafe motor vehicle. None of the charges have been tested in court. Police say they will be increasing their presence around Hamilton this summer, both on the road and on the water.
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton police report 35 per cent increase in hate incidents in 2024
Hamilton experienced a 35 per cent increase in hate incidents reported to police last year, with Black, Jewish and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities the most frequent victims. An annual report presented to Hamilton's police board Thursday showed there were 297 hate/bias incidents reported in 2024, including 191 hate incidents and 106 hate crimes — up from 220 in 2023 and well above the 10-year average of 146 per year. 'Hate crimes impact more than just individuals — they affect the sense of safety and belonging for entire communities,' Chief Frank Bergen said in a news release. 'It's our shared responsibility to confront hate and support one another.' A hate/bias occurrence includes any incident involving hate or bias against an identifiable group, while a hate crime is a criminal offence with evidence that it was motivated by prejudice. Most incidents in 2024 were 'random in nature, with no definable pattern (and) with the majority believed to have been committed by individuals and not by organized groups,' according to the annual report. In a presentation to the board, Staff Sgt. Ryan Hashimoto of the hate-crime unit attributed the uptick in reported hate incidents to a rise in alt-right ideologies, anti-immigration rhetoric and geopolitical events such as the Israel-Hamas conflict. Another driver is heightened awareness and education, he added. Police in recent years have made several efforts to encourage more reporting of hate-related incidents, including through presenting to community groups, offering more support to victims, training new recruits to identify and investigate hate occurrences, better tracking data and allowing hate crimes to be reported online. Hashimoto called the latter a 'huge asset' for the service. In 2024, roughly 20 per cent of hate-related reports were fielded through police's online reporting tool — up from 17 per cent in 2023 and eight per cent in 2022, when the tool first launched. 'Access to the online reporting tool has been a huge asset for people who might be afraid to come into a police station and report it (in person),' Hashimoto said in an interview after the meeting, adding the work police have done to make reporting easier has 'paid off.' Despite the improved access, many hate-related incidents still go unreported. Hashimoto said that's due to several factors, including victims believing the chance of apprehending a suspect is low, being embarrassed or past negative interactions with police. The true number of incidents is likely much higher than what police data suggests. Racist incidents were the top reported hate occurrence in 2024, with 157 total reported — of which 48 were hate crimes, according to the report. The total figure includes 79 incidents targeting the Black community, up from 69 in 2023. Assault was the most common reported incident involving the Black community at 21.5 per cent, followed by graffiti at 17.7 per cent, the report said. Incidents of people targeted because of their religion also increased in 2024, with 66 reported compared to 59 in 2023. The Jewish community was overwhelmingly the most targeted at 53 incidents, including 29 hate crimes. This is up from 44 in 2023. The report said the most common hate incident involving the Jewish community was graffiti at 27.2 per cent. There were 53 incidents targeting people for their sexual orientation or gender identity, a slight decrease from 55 a year earlier. Of the 106 incidents classified as hate crimes, the most common offence was graffiti (mischief) with 42 occurrences, followed by non-graffiti mischief with 15. Other double-digit offences included threats at 11, common assault at 10 and assault with a weapon at 10. The report said 27 of the 106 reported hate crimes were cleared, with 14 suspects arrested, 11 victims declining to proceed with charges and two suspects charged in other jurisdictions. In response to questions from the board about what police can do address hate in Hamilton, Hashimoto pointed to the Hate Crime Case Review Team, which is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada. Launched last year, the team includes 14 diverse community members. In January, after meeting twice a week for several months and receiving comprehensive training, the group began reviewing 124 hate-related investigations conducted by police between 2018 and 2021. Hashimoto said the idea is for the team to analyze how police approached those hate-related probes and recommend ways the service can improve. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Sun
20-06-2025
- Toronto Sun
Hamilton cops report 14% increase use of force last year
A Hamilton Police cruiser. Photo by / Toronto Sun Hamilton Police had 303 reported use of force incidents last year, representing a 14% increase from 2023 as cops dealt with more subjects believed to be armed, many with firearms. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'Last year marked the highest number of shootings we've seen to date,' said Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen in a statement. 'This troubling rise — combined with an increase in weapons-related calls — adds significant risk and complexity to the high-stakes situations our officers face.' Hamilton Police had 203,627 public contacts in 2024, meaning use of force was reported in less than 1% of all interactions with the public — consistent with previous years. In 2024, there were nine excessive force allegations, none were substantiated occurrences. Hamilton Police Service released its annual use of force (UOF) statistics for 2024 which are submitted annually to the Ministry of the Solicitor General. Each time force is used, officers must complete a standardized form detailing the incident. Although rare, police officers may face situations where using force is necessary to protect themselves and the community. World Columnists World Toronto & GTA MMA
