Ontario Provincial Police will be taking over policing at the Walpole Island First Nation for two weeks following a potential COVID-19 outbreak in the local police department.
A release from the First Nation's Director of Operations James Jenkins issued on December 28, 2020 noted that during that two-week period, officers with the Walpole Island Police Department will self-isolate and the police station will undergo a deep cleaning.
There are currently no active cases within Walpole Island, but some of the officers live off-reserve, so positive cases within its police force may not be reflected in local COVID-19 statistics.
Officials are also encouraging residents to use safe ways -- phone calls, online conversations -- to stay connected with family and friends during the lockdown period. They're also asking residents to limit off-reserve interactions as much as possible at this time.