The Municipality of Leamington will likely be without OPP service in less than a year's time -- a situation its mayor said did not have to happen.
Leamington Council voted last week to give notice to the Ontario Provincial Police indicating that the municipality will not renew its policing contract with the agency, and Mayor Hilda MacDonald, who introduced the motion to give notice, blamed a lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the OPP for the decision to seek other options.
Service will be terminated on May 26, 2021, in accordance with the contract Leamington has with the OPP.
MacDonald told BlackburnNewsWindsor.com that the OPP's top brass in Orillia would not answer repeated questions from Leamington concerning deployment, or even discuss adjusting its patrol model.
"We asked for numbers," said MacDonald. "We asked 'What is our shift complement?' and they refused to give us that. No accountability."
The mayor also cited the traditional rural model used by the OPP in its policing and stated that that kind of a model would not adequately work in Leamington. She said the municipality sees an increase in population due to a seasonal influx of agricultural workers, which the rural model does not take into account.
"We have a 30,000-plus population with an influx of 8,000 to 10,000 workers, and they have a shift where there are one or two [officers]? It's not acceptable. Then they refuse to tell us what that complement is. They've forced us into this corner."
According to the financial impact reviewed by town councillors last week, Leamington budgeted just less than $5.1 million for OPP policing in 2019, which represented 18 per cent of the municipality's total budget. The 2020 billing statement showed a 6.67 per cent increase in spending on OPP services, to over $5.4 million.
MacDonald said at the end of the day, the safety and well-being of the officers come before anything.
"We want them to be safe, but how can be when they don't want to give us numbers, and they won't change the model?" asked MacDonald. "The model is small, rural Ontario. We haven't been small, rural Ontario for over forty years."
With council voting to give notice, MacDonald said Leamington has begun the process of looking at policing options. Windsor police have expressed an interest in setting up a Leamington detachment, using a baseline set by its policing contract with the Town of Amherstburg. The mayor also said Chatham-Kent police are also interested, and a possible agreement with the Town of Essex is on the board. Essex is conducting a policing survey of its own.
In a statement released Thursday, Essex Detachment Commander Inspector Glenn Miller said the OPP respected council's decision.
"I wish to express my sincere appreciation and unwavering support for the hard work, commitment to the community and dedication our officers display every day in providing professional policing services to the citizens of Leamington," said Miller. "I am immensely proud of our members and civilians who have served in Leamington, as is all of the OPP. We look forward to fulfilling our obligations as outlined in the present Agreement between the Town of Leamington and the Ministry of the Solicitor General."
-With files from Adelle Loiselle