Amherstburg police cruiser, May 20, 2015. (Photo by Mike Vlasveld)Amherstburg police cruiser, May 20, 2015. (Photo by Mike Vlasveld)
Windsor

Public Meeting Coming For Amherstburg Police Plan

Progress has been made toward the Windsor Police Service taking over policing in Amherstburg.

The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) is in the process of reviewing the proposal to have the Windsor Police Service absorb the Amherstburg Police Service.

OCPC Spokesperson Silvia Cheng has confirmed to BlackburnNewsWindsor.com that a public meeting will soon be held to allow residents a chance to sound off on the proposal.  It will see  Amherstburg's police officers work for the service in Windsor, while Amherstburg's police chief and deputy chief take on administrative roles with WPS.

Amherstburg Town Council approved the proposal during a tense meeting in February.

The town says the move will initially save them $567,000 a year. However, some residents have expressed concern about a decrease in service quality.

The plan was initially for five years, but a provision was added by the town’s administration to address cost parity. It is now a 20-year proposal with cost parity projected to begin in year six of the agreement.

The OCPC's role in the process is to ensure that the plan will provide adequate policing to Amherstburg. While the town says all officers will keep their jobs, the commission also makes sure that, when applicable, proper severance arrangements are made.

Once the meeting is held, the OCPC will take the information and review it to confirm that it meets the criteria set by the Police Services Act.

Details of the meeting have not been finalized. You can see the progress on that on the OCPC's official website.

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