Duane Hicks
Town council will stand by its decision to go with an OPP contract for 2011-16 that will reduce the number of constables here from 18 to 16.
Council had agreed to ink the contract back in December, but then re-opened discussions Monday evening after receiving a presentation from the OPP last Wednesday regarding the differences between keeping police staffing status quo or reducing officers by 1.95 (hereafter referred to as Option 1 and Option 2).
However, talk Monday night made it clear the town feels it can’t afford to maintain 18 constables.
According to a report from Community Services manager George Bell, the town estimates an increase of $94,975 in costs over the 2010 police budget with Option 2.
But if council were to go with Option 1 and remain status quo, it would increase by $259,177.
In 2012, the first full year under the new contract, this variance would increase to $362,820 (or a 3.7 percent tax increase).
Bell noted the cost per hour of service has increased to $99.97 from $77.70 in the 2006 OPP contract, adding “the cost of emergency services is escalating far beyond the municipality’s ability to pay.”
“We had requested a reduction in costs for OPP due to the substantial increase in the last eight or nine years, and it’s the OPP contract policing . . . that came forward with Option 2,” noted Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft.
“This is something that came forward from the OPP, it wasn’t something we invented locally,” he stressed.
“Given that we received this reduction of 1.95 from contract policing, it still must meet the . . . effectiveness standards of the OPP,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft added.
“I don’t think we have to be concerned about the reduction of 1.95 officers,” he remarked. “We’re still going to be well-serviced in this area.”
“They [the OPP] would never have given that proposal to us if it didn’t meet their standards,” agreed Coun. Paul Ryan.
“I suggest that we stay with Option 2,” said Coun. Paul Ryan.
“Maybe over time, it will happen,” he conceded. “But right now, it would be a [3.7] percent . . . increase in taxes [next year] just for policing.
“If Option 2 is adequate, then I suggest we go with that.”
“I am also in favour of Option 2,” said Coun. Andrew Hallikas. “I haven’t heard anything at the meeting that we attended that gave me any reason that I would change my mind from Option 2.
“I think that’s the only option, personally, that we can afford right now,” he stressed.
“I am convinced that we will get good policing with that option.”
In regards to council’s questions about being able to change an OPP contract which has been agreed upon, CAO Mark McCaig noted he and Bell spoke to the OPP and found out that if the town went with Option 1 (status quo), staffing levels could not be decreased part-way through the contract (i.e., the town would be bound by the contract for five years).
However, if the town went with Option 2 and were not happy with the impact of the staffing reduction, they could “enhance” the contract at any time and increase staffing levels.
The background of the new contract goes back to last Aug. 23, when council sent a letter to OPP contract services advising them of the concern over escalating policing costs and asking them to provide options to reduce levels of service for council’s consideration.
A committee was struck to negotiate with the OPP contract services and bring a recommendation back to council.
On Nov. 4, Insp. Rod Case and local detachment commander, Insp. John Kendrick, presented two proposals—to remain status quo or reduce staff by two—and did not provide any information on any significant negative impact on policing services if the town went with the second option.
On Dec. 20, the proposals were presented to the committee of the whole, which directed Bell to advise OPP contract services that the town would go with Option 2.
He contacted Insp. Case on Jan. 12, and is awaiting the complete contract documentation for a bylaw to be prepared.
The new contract is up for renewal this June.
But as reported in last Thursday’s Daily Bulletin, council received a presentation from Insp. Kendrick last week outlining how a reduction to 16 constables could impact service, including that there will be one patrol officer on days and two on nights, instead of the current two on days and two on nights.
And when operational requirements within the district exceed the availability of on-duty officers, there will be times when Fort Frances will not have an officer in town.
This could result in the creation of some two-officer response issues and an expected increase in overtime.
Under Option 2, Insp. Kendrick also noted:
•response times will increase;
•there will be a move from personal response to differential response (e.g., the public can call a phone number to report certain types of incidents, but an officer does not necessarily attend the call);
•reactive responses to calls for services will take a priority over proactive responses;
•hours associated to proactive assignments (such as community services, Community Drug Action Team, and administration), will be reduced;
•there will be a reduction in the provincial component of OPP service (such as marine patrols, ATV, and traffic enforcement);
•non-essential community policing measures (i.e., grant applications, committee/task force representation, etc.) will be reduced;
•proactive educational community services across the district could be reduced (i.e., D.A.R.E., Safe Communities, Substance Abuse Prevention, etc.); and
•the number of hours associated to the supervision and administration of the contract will be reduced, potentially leading to more overtime.
