OPP laid 15 per cent more Criminal charges in Plympton-Wyoming in 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent

The new head of the Lambton OPP detachment says helping victims of domestic assault is a top priority.

Inspec. Ross Stuart met with Plympton-Wyoming Council Jan. 14, the first municipality he has formally spoke to since becoming the top-ranking officer at the detachment. He came armed with crime statistics from 2025 in Plympton-Wyoming.

Stuart noted the community has a relatively low crime rate with officers laying 15 per cent more criminal charges in 2025. He also voiced some concern about assaults in the community.

The inspector said there were 17 assaults in 2025. Stuart characterized that as “a lot” of assaults for a community of this size. “I’ve gone through those and the vast majority of those hour are minor assaults in nature,” he said.

But Stuart said they are “concerning because most of them are domestic-related incidents, which, as we know, those types of situations can escalate over time.”

Councillor Kristin Rodrigues pointed out that even with a “minor” assault the “emotional impact is far greater.

Inspec. Stuart agreed. “There are no more important incidents that we deal with than those incidents of domestic related violence…even in one instance, is unacceptable and the emotional impact that it causes, there’s no way of measuring that.”

Stuart says community service officers give presentations about domestic violence to show there are avenues in which to seek help.”

Stuart added “the victim of those instances is always treated very respectfully. That is the fundamental priority of our investigations.”

OPP also have an officer dedicated to reviewing nothing but intimate partner violence incidents and making sure every investigative tool has been used and “the victim has been supported.”

Over all, Stuart says 454 charges were laid in Plympton-Wyoming in 2025, a 15 per cent increase over the year before.

“That’s not necessarily a reflection on the fact that crime has increased. We’ve also seen our clearance rate for incidents increase,” he told council. “That means our folks are out there. Our folks are out there doing their job, and they’re doing well.”

Stuart also reported there has been a 27 per cent decrease in property crime, including fraud. The inspector cautioned that the fraud cases may be under reported since people are often embarrassed by being duped and don’t report the crime.

The number of break and enters in Plympton-Wyoming also went down.

“There is very little actual drug-related crime in the community,” he said adding there had been three drug charges laid in 2025. There had also been one overdose.

The OPP is also being proactive, he said, in making sure people are following the conditions set by judges when letting people out on bail.

Officers went to 197 doors to make sure people were following bail orders and laid 231 charges. “If you were wanted in the community, we are bringing you back before the courts.”