The municipality of Leamington will head back to the drawing board with regard to policing.
Leamington council unanimously voted down a plan Tuesday night to look at proposals submitted by Windsor Police and Chatham-Kent Police to take over policing in the Leamington. The proposals were requested last year due to increased concerns about how Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patrol the municipality.
After the municipality gave notice to the OPP last June that it will not renew its policing contract with the OPP, a request for proposals went out, and the two agencies submitted plans.
According to the report presented to the council Tuesday night, the Windsor police's proposal was favoured, but the administration had recommended that the council not accept the proposals due to the potential for financial strain.
Mayor Hilda MacDonald said during the meeting Tuesday night that the issue is far from over, but one way or another, things will need to change.
"If you believe that we are going back to a status quo with the OPP, I say in capital letters, we are not," said MacDonald.
MacDonald also stated that she did not want to wait several months to resolve the issue, and asked the administration to invite the OPP to a discussion on enhancements and improvements.
"We'd like to explore our relationship with the OPP and figure out what we can do better," said Leamington CAO Peter Neufeld.
The contract between Leamington and the OPP is due to expire on June 9. If there is no agreement before then, the OPP will continue to provide patrols to the municipality in accordance with Section 5.1 of the Police Services Act.
---with files from Allanah Wills