More info about new police board for Bruce Grey
The new board which is the community liaison for the whole Bruce-Grey OPP detachment began as the new provincial policing act was proclaimed on Apr. 1.
Right now, each municipality that OPP serves under Section 10 has its own board.
BOARD MAY START LATE
Southgate Police Services board met in March, and decided it will meet again for a wrap-up meeting on May 21.
While the new provincial Act was proclaimed Apr. 1, due to transition challenges, the new board may not meet until May or June, said a recent report. The province allowed for this lag due to many aspects that were still not decided as the April date approached.
The Southgate Police Services board received an update on the change-over, as did Southgate Council at its meeting.
The new joint board will consist of three types of members: municipal/First Nations (Coun. Monica Singh Soares will attend from Southgate), three provincial appointees, and four community members, an opportunity that was advertised across the detachment area.
Karl Ellis of Southgate is one of the community reps, along with Nicole Martin (Grey Highlands), Gerry Solursh (Northern Bruce Peninsula) and Michelle Reynolds (Georgian Bluffs).
EQUAL PAY
When Southgate passed the motion accepting the board members, a clause was added about remuneration.
Deputy Mayor Barbara Dobreen raised a concern that pay might not be equal for all those sitting at the table.
Council endorsed a motion to recommend that the board consider a standard remuneration policy for all members including those from municipal councils, community and provincial appointees.
Applicants from communities not represented in this term of the joint board will be given preference in the next council term.
The township of Georgian Bluffs will provide admin support to the board, through a part-time shared staff position that will be funded by the nine member municipality/First Nation communities.
The meetings will have a hybrid option, due in part to the size of the board – with 16 members – and the large area. Meeting space is to be provided either by Grey County or the Shallow Lake arena.
BOARD DUTIES
New boards are to develop a local action plan, setting priorities and objectives. They are to operate at arm’s length from the participating bodies, instead of acting with “municipal influence.”
Members are to complete eight hours of online training before beginning – two hours on roles and responsibilities, and further training on human rights, systemic racism, diversity and inclusion and rights and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Metis.
Meetings are expected to be monthly, with some scheduled off months in the summer and holiday season.
A projected budget for May to December, 2024 was about $41,000, with $87,000 estimated for 2025 (after $6,500 credit from provincial funding).
The estimated cost per participating municipality / First Nation is about $9,667 for 2025. The board will develop a 2025 budget for circulation to the local level.
CALLS FOR SERVICE
Police calls from Southgate in January and February were also reported at the Southgate PSB meeting.
The total calls for service in Southgate for the two months was 509, compared with 488 in 2023 and 323 in 2022.
Violent crime calls were 22 in Southgate, where the previous high in the last six years was 18 in 2021. There were a total of 90 throughout Grey Bruce detachment OPP-policed areas.
Property crime was 29, much the same as previous years, and drug crime was zero.
Motor vehicle collisions were 16 in Southgate, the lowest since 2019.
Present for the PSB meeting Mar. 19 were members Brian Milne, Allen Dobreen, and Inspector Paul Richardson, Commander of Grey Bruce detachment, Staff Sergeant Marla Barfoot and PC Alexis MacNeill.
M.T. Fernandes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Dundalk Herald
