A pair of notices of motion were presented by Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue at Essex County council regarding the policing issue.
How far they go remain to be seen.
The first notice of motion noted the town’s current policing contract ends with Windsor Dec. 31, 2028 and the city decided it would not renew that contract. The notice of motion pointed out that most Essex County municipalities are policed by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Amherstburg town council is requesting “due consideration be given to options for policing that include a regional approach.”
The County of Essex is “uniquely positioned” to administer and deliver programs as an upper-tier municipality, the first Amherstburg notice of motion read, with the request for “options for traditional regional policing models” be explored for the county with something to be in place Jan. 1, 2029.
The second notice of motion from Amherstburg was largely similar to the first one, namely that the county is in a position to administer and deliver services on a regional basis.
The latter notice of motion, read into the record by Prue, added “there is a recognized interest” in preserving local control and service levels “while enjoying the economies of scale and cost effectiveness of centralized control of policing activities.”
The second notice of motion stated municipalities may approach such an endeavor on different time scales.
The second request called for the county to work with local municipalities to explore a collaborative approach to county-wide policing in the long-term. A police board, command and corporate structure would be held at the county level and “local communities are provided with options for flexible service delivery models for local service delivery needs and pricing.”
The second notice of motion would allow for municipalities to opt out if they have other ways to police their communities “and the cost borne for the command and corporate structures are levied equally amongst all signatories, with pricing for specific service delivery within each community being wholly the responsibility of the host community.”
As it is a notice of motion, it was not debated last week but Prue hoped reports and debate will be brought back “at a reasonable future date.”
Prue thanked Warden Hilda MacDonald for weighing in on the matter, noting the front page story in the River Town Times that came out the same day as the meeting.
County to review policing motions
By Ron Giofu
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