Bill Doucet

Cambridge

Reporter at Waterloo Region Record

Award-winning Waterloo Region Record reporter. Views are mine, not of the paper

Articles

Waterloo Regional Police pauses crisis call diversion program due to ‘unstable’ funding

2 weeks ago | therecord.com | Bill Doucet

Waterloo Regional Police has paused its crisis call diversion program after funding became “unstable” in recent months, said Police Chief Mark Crowell. The program, which began in November 2022, placed Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Waterloo Wellington professionals — known as the Community Mental Health (CMH) team — in the police communications centre to immediately handle mental health-related calls, diverting them from front line officers.
Waterloo Regional Police get overtime costs under control

2 weeks ago | therecord.com | Bill Doucet

After exceeding its overtime budget by $5.6 million in 2024, Waterloo Regional Police’s increased staffing contributed to getting the service’s overtime in line, staying under budget for the first quarter of the year. It is a boon for the police service, which paid out $9.13 million in overtime last year, on a budget of just $3.58 million. The Waterloo Regional Police Services Board heard Wednesday that overtime staffing came in $197,000 under budget from Jan.
Guelph resident defrauded of $80K in romance scam

2 weeks ago | therecord.com | Bill Doucet

A Guelph-Eramosa Township resident was taken for $80,000 in a romance scam. Wellington OPP said they received a report of the scam Sunday, at around 9 p.m., with the resident saying they had developed an online relationship with a person between February and April. Throughout their interaction, police said, the person, suspected to be the perpetrator, made multiple appeals for financial support, predominantly in the form of e-transfers and cryptocurrency, citing a fictitious need for help.
3 overdose deaths in Waterloo Region an extension of previous warning

2 weeks ago | therecord.com | Bill Doucet

The Waterloo Region Integrated Drug Strategy has extended a community drug alert after three suspected overdose/drug poisoning related deaths in two days. According to the alert through the Overdose Monitoring Alert and Response System, the deaths occurred May 14 and 15, with concerns raised about the “potential unpredictability in the cocaine supply.”The extension is from an alert issued May 5 after five suspected drug-related deaths May 1-3.
Cambridge man charged after road rage incident in Guelph

2 weeks ago | therecord.com | Bill Doucet

A Cambridge man is facing charges in connection with a road rage incident in Guelph. Guelph police said the situation unfolded Thursday when a motorist was driving through a construction zone on York Road, slowly swerving around several raised sewer covers. Once through construction, another motorist pulled beside the driver at a red light and began yelling at him. The second driver then went straight through the intersection from a turning lane, cut off the other driver and slammed on the brakes.
Hydro poles ripped down in Preston area of Cambridge, driver leaves scene: police

2 weeks ago | therecord.com | Bill Doucet

A section of King Street East in the Preston area of Cambridge is closed after power lines and poles were ripped down. Two cement poles adjacent to the No Frills parking lot were torn apart and the two others damaged after a dump truck snagged an overhead power line at 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Waterloo Regional Police said. Police added the driver who caused the damage failed to remain at the scene. King Street East is closed between Brown and Bishop streets for the downed power lines.
14-year-old charged after reported sexual assault near Elmira

2 weeks ago | therecord.com | Bill Doucet

A 14-year-old boy is facing two charges of sexual assault after an incident on a Woolwich trail. Waterloo Regional Police arrested the youth Monday, following a report on May 15, at approximately 5 p.m., of a woman who was sexually assaulted while walking on a trail at the Woolwich Reservoir, off of Reid Woods Drive, northwest of Elmira. There were no reported physical injuries, police said. Anyone with information can contact police at 519-570-9777.
3 overdose deaths in Waterloo Region an extension of previous warning

2 weeks ago | newhamburgindependent.ca | Bill Doucet

The Waterloo Region Integrated Drug Strategy has extended a community drug alert after three suspected overdose/drug poisoning related deaths in two days. According to the alert through the Overdose Monitoring Alert and Response System, the deaths occurred May 14 and 15, with concerns raised about the “potential unpredictability in the cocaine supply.”The extension is from an alert issued May 5 after five suspected drug-related deaths May 1-3.
3 overdose deaths in Waterloo Region an extension of previous warning

2 weeks ago | waterloochronicle.ca | Bill Doucet

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Cambridge man charged after road rage incident in Guelph

2 weeks ago | cambridgetimes.ca | Bill Doucet

A Cambridge man is facing charges in connection with a road rage incident in Guelph. Guelph police said the situation unfolded Thursday when a motorist was driving through a construction zone on York Road, slowly swerving around several raised sewer covers. Once through construction, another motorist pulled beside the driver at a red light and began yelling at him. The second driver then went straight through the intersection from a turning lane, cut off the other driver and slammed on the brakes.