In the matter of an application for consent to the abolition of the Chatham, Tilbury, Wallaceburg and Dresden Police Services, 1998 ONCPC 4004

ONTARIO CIVILIAN COMMISSION ON POLICE SERVICES

Citation: 1998 ONCPC 4004

IN THE MATTER OF an application for consent to the abolition of the Chatham, Tilbury, Wallaceburg and Dresden Police Services

Presiding Members: Murray W. Chitra, Chair Sam Cancilla, Member Charles Rycroft, Member

Appearances: Edmund MacLean, Chief, Dresden Police Service Gerry Wolting, Chair, Police Task Force Don Roskamp, Chief, Chatham Police Carl Herder, Deputy Chief, Chatham Police Service Del Lunn, Chief, Wallaceburg Police Service Jack Chambers, Chief, Tilbury Police Service Doug Goldsmith, President, Tilbury Police Association William Erickson, Mayor, Chatham-Kent Doug Arbour, Chair, Chatham-Kent Police Services Board Maurice Hodgson, Police Services Adviser, Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services Ellen Craeymeersch, Citizen Heather Gaze, Citizen

Hearing Date: July 14, 1998

This is an application by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, pursuant to section 40 of the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15 as amended (the "Act") for consent to abolish the police services of Chatham, Tilbury, Wallaceburg and Dresden. This is for the purposes of having all policing in the Municipality provided by a new force to be known as the Chatham-Kent Police Service.

This history giving rise to this application is complex.

Background

On February 6, 1997, the Honourable Al Leach, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, appointed a Commission under section 25.3 of the Municipal Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.45 as amended to consider the restructuring of the communities of Kent County.

On April 28, 1997, Commissioner Dr. Peter Meyboon released the final restructuring proposal. Essentially, it directed the amalgamation of 22 communities into a single tier local government to be known as the Municipality of Chatham-Kent effective January 1, 1998.

To ensure a smooth and effective transfer to the new system of local government, Dr. Meyboon ordered the establishment of a Transition Board. It was assigned a number of tasks relating to the amalgamation of specific services. One of these concerned policing.

At the time of the release of the Final Restructuring Proposal, the city of Chatham and the towns of Dresden, Tilbury, and Wallaceburg were all policed by their own municipal services. The balance of Kent County was policed by the Ontario Provincial Police.

The Commissioner directed that:

The new municipality will have the choice of establishing its own police force by amalgamating and expanding existing police forces in Chatham, Wallaceburg, Dresden and Tilbury, by engaging the services of the Ontario Provincial Police or by obtaining contract police services from an adjacent municipality.¹

In order to assess properly these options the Transition Board established a Policing Task Force in June of 1997.

The Process:

The Policing Task Force comprised of twelve members including the Chiefs of Police of Tilbury and Chatham, two senior OPP officers, one representative from each of the local municipal police associations and Ontario Provincial Police Association, two Police Services Advisers from the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services and four municipal officials.

The Task Force focused on a number of practical issues. These included:

• required service levels
• policing districts and the location of facilities
• a fair tender process to determine a preferred service provider

A preliminary report with a series of specific recommendations was completed on September 9, 1997 and presented to the Transition Board.

At the direction of the Board several open meetings were held to explain the report and to solicit public comment. These meetings took place over the course of two months in Wallaceburg, Dresden, Thamesville, Chatham, Ridgetown, Blenheim, Tilbury and Wheatley. A number of concerns were expressed, mainly about the deployment of officers and costs.

The Task Force amended its report on November 18, 1997 to reflect some of these concerns. The Transition Board subsequently approved the report. On the basis of the identified service requirements set out in the final report, proposals were solicited. The closing date was January 6, 1998.

Two proposals were received. One was from the Ontario Provincial Police and the other from the four former municipal services. The newly installed Council for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent established a committee to evaluate both. This committee consisted of the Chief Administrative Officer for Chatham-Kent and the four municipal representatives from the Task Force. It was assisted by a Police Services Adviser from the Ministry.

The evaluations committee found that both proposals were comprehensive, would meet or exceed provincial policing standards and would provide the citizens of Chatham-Kent with an excellent police force. However, based on the financial analysis the five year municipal proposal was preferred by the Committee as it would cost $2,383,000 less than the five year OPP proposal.

The recommendation was presented at a special meeting on February 17, 1998 to members of Council and the public. On March 2, 1998 Council passed a motion accepting the municipal option "based on a five-year fixed contract". On April 2, 1998, the various local municipal police associations and the newly established Chatham-Kent Police Board signed a five year working agreement. As a result, on May 8, 1998 Municipal Council wrote to the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services requesting approval under section 40 of the Police Services Act.

On May 11, 1998, the Commission agreed that a public meeting would be convened to consider the request. The meeting was subsequently scheduled for July 14, 1998 at the Civic Centre, 315 King Street West, Chatham, notice of which was published in several local newspapers.

The public meeting took place as scheduled. A total of twelve individuals made presentations or offered submissions. The Commission received correspondence, written material and other documents in support of the various positions taken.

The Law:

The operation of policing in Ontario is governed by the provisions of the Police Services Act. Section 4(1) of the Act imposes upon municipalities the obligation to provide "adequate and effective police services in accordance with its needs." This obligation may be met in a number of different ways. A municipality may choose to establish and maintain its own police force, contract for policing services with the OPP, or enter a joint policing arrangement with a neighbouring community. This is reflected in Dr. Meyboom's direction of April 28, 1997.

However, in those cases where a municipal police service exists, it can only be abolished for the purposes of putting in place an alternative policing arrangement after following the procedures set out in the Act.

In this case, there are currently five separate services policing the new Municipality of Chatham-Kent. These include the Chatham Police Service, Tilbury Police Service, Wallaceburg Police Service, Dresden Police Service and Ontario Provincial Police. It is now formally proposed to abolish the four municipal services, establish a new municipal police force and expand its jurisdiction into areas now policed by the Ontario Provincial Police.

Section 40 of the Act provides:

40(1) A board may terminate the employment of a member of the police force for the purpose of abolishing the police force … if the Commission consents and if the abolition … does not contravene this Act.

(2) The Commission shall consent to the termination of the employment of a member of the police force under subsection (1) only if,

(a) the member and the board have made an agreement dealing with severance pay or agreed to submit the matter to arbitration; or

(b) the Commission has made an order under subsection (3).

(3) If the member and the board do not make an agreement dealing with severance pay and do not agree to submit the matter to arbitration, the Commission, if it is of the opinion that it would be appropriate to permit the abolition of the police force may order the member and the board to submit the matter to arbitration and may give any necessary directions in that connection.

The purpose of this provision is to ensure that no existing municipal police force is abolished unless arrangements will be in place to satisfactorily meet the policing needs of the community in question. Any new arrangement must meet the legislative requirement of appropriate staff, facilities and equipment to ensure adequate and effective policing.

In addition, no member of an existing municipal police force is to be terminated without steps being taken to allow for proper severance. Accordingly, the object of this proceeding is two-fold.

The Issues:

First, we are to receive and review the proposal for a new policing arrangement in Chatham-Kent which is put forward by Municipal Council and any public comment.

Second, assuming that we are satisfied that the proposal will allow for "adequate and effective police services" and otherwise meet the requirements of the Act, it is our obligation to determine whether any member is to be terminated as a consequence of restructuring. If so, and the parties have reached an agreement with respect to severance or consent to have any outstanding matters referred to arbitration, the matter ends there. If such agreement has not been reached, then we may order the parties to arbitration.

That said, it is worth noting that there are a number of matters which the Commission will not address. It is not our role to judge the relative merits of municipal versus OPP contract policing in a particular community or the potential for any proposal to save or increase costs. These are matters for Municipal Council.

It is not the function of the Commission to judge whether or not what is in place is superior to what may already be in place or some alternative arrangement. Our focus is to determine whether the specific proposal being advanced would meet the requirements of the Act. Finally, it is not our function to determine what constitutes an appropriate severance arrangement. That is a matter for bargaining between the parties and, in the absence of an agreement, for arbitration.

The Proposal:

The proposed policing arrangement was described to us in detail by a number of presenters. Essentially, what is being advanced flows from the specifications developed by the Policing Task Force. This can best be described under the general headings of staffing, facilities, communications, equipment, budget and phase - in.

A) Staffing

The Task Force examined total reported crime statistics for the Chatham-Kent area for the calendar years 1995 and 1996. This showed the number of annual reported crime incidents to be approximately 38,000. This was set against a provincial average of six hours of police work required to respond a typical incident (4.5 hours for front line uniformed staff and 1.5 hours for operational support staff).

Taking into account vacation, training and other factors, the Task Force determined that a fully employed police officer would normally be available to provide 1620 hours of service annually. On this basis it was concluded that a total of 106 front line uniformed staff would be required (38,000 incidents x 4.5 uniformed hours divided by 1,620 annual hours per officer) to provide Chatham- Kent with basic reactive policing.

This number was increased by 12.5% to a total of 119 officers (5 staff sergeants, 8 sergeants and 106 constables) to allow for proactive response. This percentage was derived from the average additional allocation of the 10% to 15% provincially to provide proactive policing.

These 119 officers would constitute the new service's Community Patrol Division. The Task Force proposed that officers be divided into four platoons which would operate on twelve hour, staggered shifts with a "four on four off" cycle. Each platoon complement would average 26.5 constables, two sergeants and one staff sergeant. A fifth staff sergeant would be available to act as relief.

It is also proposed that the Municipality be divided into four districts with an allocated number of officers to work out of four service centres. The specific proposed deployment would be as follows:

• District 1 (North) - service centre in Wallaceburg, 24 constables with six per platoon
• District 2 (East) - service centre in Ridgetown, 28 constables with seven per platoon
• District 3 (West) - service centre in Tilbury, 20 constables with five per platoon
• District 4 (Central) - service headquarters in Chatham, 34 constables with an average of eight and a half per platoon

The five staff sergeants would work out of the headquarters facility and the eight sergeants would be deployed from that location.

These officers would be assisted in their duties by an Operational Support Division to consist of 25 uniformed personnel. The Operational Support Division would have a number of units: a Criminal Investigation Section (1 detective sergeant, 4 detectives and 7 constables) would deal with major crime, forensic identification and victims assistance; an Intelligence Section (1 sergeant and 6 constables) would deal with drug enforcement, investigate break and enters and street crimes, and operate Crime Stoppers; a Court Services Section (1 sergeant and 3 constables) would provide court administration, court security and case management; one sergeant would be devoted as a full time training co-ordinator, and a Community Relations Section would be established to deal with various community policing initiatives.

Other specialised services are proposed. These include a marine patrol, a canine unit, and a containment unit. An auxiliary unit of up to twenty members is planned for the spring of 1999.

The Community Patrol Division and Operational Support Division would be assisted by an Administration Division. This division would be staffed primarily by civilian personnel who would perform communication, clerical, records management, property management and analytical functions to support the operation of the entire service. It would consist of one executive assistant, one office supervisor, two administrative secretaries, eleven administrative clerks, three special constables, one building and fleet maintenance worker, one communications supervisor and twelve communicators. The total proposed civilian strength would be thirty two.

All Divisions would be overseen by a chief, deputy chief and three inspectors.

In summary, the total proposed complement of the new service would be 181 organized by Division as follows:

• Command: 5
• Community Patrol: 119
• Operational Support: 25
• Administration: 32

The current actual strength of the combined municipal services is 141. Accordingly, it would be necessary to hire additional uniformed and civilian staff to meet the proposed staffing levels. To this end, the Chatham-Kent Police Services Board has agreed to hire any interested OPP officers from the Chatham-Kent region who meet the requirements of the Act and have no outstanding criminal charges. A similar policy was adopted for "required" civilian employees. Other necessary officers would be hired from police forces across Canada. A pool of suitable candidates has been identified.

B) Facilities

It is proposed that the staff of the new service would operate from three types of facilities: service centres, store-front offices, and seasonal offices.

The service centres would act as the "focal point" for policing in the proposed four districts. As noted earlier such centres would be established in Tilbury, Wallaceburg and Ridgetown. Chatham would act as both a service centre and headquarters.

The service centres in Tilbury, Wallaceburg and Ridgetown would be approximately 2,000 square feet each. This would include space for a vestibule, four cells, booking, breathalyzer and interview rooms, exhibit storage, staff lockers, male and female washrooms and showers, a reception area, four workstations, computer access, one office, and a lunch area. Reserved parking and off-site storage for large items would also be provided.

The service centres in Tilbury and Ridgetown would be open to the public eight hours a day, five days a week. Both would be available to staff twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. An after hour call box would allow citizens to contact patrol units in the area for assistance during the evening. The service centre in Wallaceburg would be open to the public twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and provide monitored cells.

The Chatham service centre and headquarters would be approximately 40,000 square feet in size. In addition to patrol staff, it would accommodate all administration and communications staff and operate on the basis of twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Eighteen monitored cells would be provided.

The proposed service centre in Tilbury would be located at the current police facility at 17 Superior Street. The Commission has been provided with photographs, an architect's plan and a detailed renovation budget for this building.

The proposed service centre in Wallaceburg is to be located at the former police station in the municipal building at 786 Dufferin Street. We have been provided with photographs, an architect's plan and detailed budget for this facility. It is anticipated that renovations will be concluded by year end.

Two sites are being considered for the Ridgetown service centre. One location is the municipal building at 45 Main Street. Another facility under consideration is current OPP facility at 74 Erie Street South. If the municipal building is to be selected, it will require renovations. We have been provided with photographs, an architect's plan and a detailed budget for such work which we are advised could also be completed by year end.

Finally, the proposed location for the Chatham service centre and headquarters is the current police building at 24 Third Street. Approximately $40,000 in renovations would be required. We were provided with a tour of this facility.

The four service centres would be supported by six store-front offices and two seasonal offices. The store-front offices would be located in Dresden, Bothwell, Thamesville, Blenheim, Merlin and Wheatly. The seasonal offices would be in Mitchell's Bay and Erieau.

The store-front offices would each be approximately 250 square feet in size. Essentially each would contain an office and interview room to be used as required. Because the offices would all be located in existing municipal buildings, officers would share reception services and washrooms with municipal staff. All would be equipped with call boxes for members of the public for times when an officer was not available. Approximately $40,000 in total is required for renovations of the store-front offices.

The Dresden store-front office would be located at 263 Main Street. The Bothwell store-front office would be at 320 Main Street North. The Thamesville store-front would be at 1 London Drive. The Blenheim store-front would be at 35 Talbot Street West. The Merlin store-front would be located at 22 Erie Street South and the Wheatley store-front at 25 Erie Street South.

The seasonal offices in Mitchell's Bay and Erieau are essentially single rooms with a telephone that would be available to officers during specific times of the year for interviews and meetings.

C) Communications

The dispatch centre for the proposed police force would be operated out of the Chatham service centre and headquarters. It would serve as a focal point for emergency services.

All the citizens in Chatham-Kent would be able to contact either the police force or fire department using 911 service. All service centre and store-front office call boxes would be directly connected to this location.

The current radio system in use is VHS. The Task Force proposed that this be migrated to a system that incorporates all the two-way radio systems from the former municipalities. We have been provided with a report from Schooley, Mitchell, Telecom Consultants setting out the necessary steps to complete this process. The report provides a detailed budget.

The proposed system will use a large part of the existing network currently located at five operation sites. Complete mobile coverage for the new municipality (i.e. no dead zones) is possible using tower sites located at Highway 40 and 401 and the new water tower in Chatham. Portable coverage would be obtained through a network of tower sites located throughout the region.

The plan is to establish a common dispatch channel, a common tactical channel, two simplex tactical channels (point to point communications), and an emergency talk channel for all users. The introduction of new VHF digital and mobile portable radios would permit secure communications.

The current CrySis mapping system (which allows the location of 911 calls to be displayed on detailed computer maps) would continue and would be upgraded.

D) Equipment and Records Management

Officers would be provided with the necessary uniforms, weapons and personal equipment.

The proposed services will have a fleet of 47 motor vehicles, which include:

• 24 marked and 13 unmarked patrol cars (to be allocated by District)
• 3 marked vehicles for court services and 1 marked vehicle each for the Forensic Identification Unit and Community Services Unit
• 2 motorcycles

These vehicles would either be funded or have been previously purchased. The Task Force also proposed to seek public donations for three additional vehicles (Victims Services, Crime Stoppers and K9). The maintenance, deployment and performance of all vehicles will be tracked by a computer program.

Other equipment would include two bicycles for each service centre and two boats for marine patrol. These boats will be based in Wallaceburg and Chatham.

The four existing municipal services currently participate in Ontario Municipal and Provincial Police Automated Co-operative (OMPPAC). This is a common police computerised records management and reporting system.

This new service will continue to use OMPPAC. Adjustments have been made to the current system to include all new personnel and vehicles. Records management will operate out of headquarters in Chatham with data entry from service centres in Wallaceburg, Tilbury and Ridgetown.

Existing Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) files are being transferred to the new Central Record Unit. Discussions are taking place about the transfer of relevant Chatham OPP CPIC files.

E) Budget and Phase-in

The total proposed 1998 annual budget for the new service is $14,046,517. The Commission has been provided with a summary of this document as well as projected adjusted budgets for years 1999 to 2002.

This long term financial planning is possible, because as we noted earlier, on April 2, 1998 the Chatham Police Services Board and various municipal police associations signed a five year working agreement. We have also been provided with a copy of this document.

The projected five years budget reflects one time costs of $1,211,824. Mayor William Erickson also advised that through recent provincial restructuring grants, sufficient additional funds are available for unbudgeted renovation costs or equipment purchases.

It is proposed that the new Chatham-Kent Service assume its new responsibilities in two phases. The first phase would commence September 1, 1998. As of that date the new force would assume policing responsibility for all parts of the new municipality north of Highway 401. This is the area now largely policed by the existing municipal services. Policing south of the 401 (currently mainly policed by the OPP) would commence January 1, 1999.

There are a number of reasons for this two step approach. First, it would allow for the completion of the required renovations, communications upgrades, equipment purchases and hiring. Second, it would permit Chatham-Kent staff to participate in "ride alongs" to familiarise themselves with the new area. Also, it would allow for a media campaign to educate citizens on the new policing arrangement.

Submissions:

Mr. Wolting described the proposal before us as a non-partisan group effort involving police and municipal officials. He states that it required considerable effort and co-operation because in the restructured community of Chatham-Kent policing was the primary concern of citizens.

Mayor Erickson advised us that the process used to identify the required policing needs and select a service provider was a good one. He states that Council supports the result and believes it will meet the policing needs of the new community.

Mr. Arbour, indicated that the proposal, the result of a significant amount of work in a very short time, has the full support of the Chatham-Kent Police Services Board. The Board is prepared to make any necessary steps or adjustments to effect the proposal.

Chiefs Roskamp, MacLean, Lunn and Chambers submitted that in their collective opinion the proposal is comprehensive and would allow for adequate and effective policing in Chatham-Kent. They are supported in this opinion by Mr. Hodgson, who describes the proposal as practical, workable and flexible.

Mr. Goldsmith, on behalf of the various Police Associations, indicated that all members had an opportunity to participate in the process and are satisfied with the proposal. He states that there are no outstanding issues with any of the four Associations.

Two members of the public expressed concern.

Ms. Craeymeersch is a resident of Ward 3 in the new East Kent. She expressed concern about whether the proposal would allow for adequate and effective service delivery, proper and respectful treatment of staff, and employee loyalty to the public.

Ms. Craeymeersch raised a number of questions about the deployment of special constables in the place of front line officers, training resources, overtime costs, officer safety, and youth crime.

Ms. Gaze also spoke. She is the owner of the building which houses the OPP Detachment in Ridgetown. The OPP lease on the facility expired July 31, 1998. The thrust of Ms. Gaze's submission was that the municipal building at 45 Main Street which is being considered as a possible service centre is not suitable for that purpose.

She raised a number of concerns relating to the facility selection process, parking and vehicle storage, building size and layout, renovation costs, noise and pedestrian safety. She concluded by stating that the current OPP facility should be used as the new service centre.

Ms Gaze requested that we withhold approval of the proposal until the issue of the Ridgetown facility is resolved after for local public consultation.

Decision:

The new Municipality of Chatham-Kent, located in south western Ontario, encompasses approximately 2,400 square kilometres with a total population of about 110,000. The area is primarily agricultural and recreational, but is also the home to a number of industries associated with manufacturing of automobiles in the nearby cities of Windsor and Detroit.

The region is currently policed by four municipal police services which vary in size as follows:

• Chatham Police Service: 70 uniformed and 27 civilian staff
• Dresden Police Service: 4 uniformed staff
• Tilbury Police Service: 10 uniformed and 1 civilian staff
• Wallaceburg Police Service: 21 uniformed and 8 civilian staff

The total municipal police complement is 105 uniformed officers and 36 civilian staff.

In addition to the municipal forces, the Ontario Provincial Police has a number of personnel assigned to various locations in the region. The urban detachments are policed as follows:

• Blenheim: 6 uniformed
• Ridgetown: 5 uniformed
• Wheatley: 1 uniformed

Thirty-five officers are assigned to patrol the rural areas of the municipality. They operate mainly from the Chatham Detachment.

The current combined municipal and Ontario Provincial Police complements are 152 uniformed officers and 36 civilian staff.

In anticipation of municipal restructuring, the Task Force was created to examine the policing needs of the new region. It undertook these responsibilities in a thorough, co-operative, innovative and responsible manner. Their work could well serve as a model for other communities in similar situations.

The eventual result was a proposal for a single municipal police service comprising 149 uniformed officers, 20 auxiliaries, and 32 civilian members. They would provide policing from a series of service centres and store-front and seasonal offices located throughout the municipality.

Is the proposal of the Task Force likely to provide Chatham-Kent with "adequate and effective police services"?

The Act does not define what constitutes "adequate and effective police services". However, some assistance in this regard can be found in certain provisions of the legislation and prior decisions of the Commission.

In particular, section 4(2) of the Act states:

4(2) Adequate and effective police services must include, at a minimum, all of the following police services:

1. Crime prevention.
2. Law enforcement.
3. Assistance to victims of crime.
4. Public order maintenance.
5. Emergency response.

Section 4(3) sets out that a municipality must provide "all the infrastructure and administration necessary for providing such services, including vehicles, boats, equipment, communication devices, buildings and supplies."

Commission decisions in various context have articulated different tests to assess or determine adequacy. See Town of Orillia (January 17, 1996). Broadly these tests are comparative or alternative. The comparative tests may be applied historically or geographically. Where it is applied historically, the current or proposed staffing level is compared to that which the municipality has received in the past. If past staffing levels were considered adequate the proposed or current level is normally presumed to be adequate and effective.

Where the comparative test is applied geographically, the proposed or current staffing level is measured against those found in communities of similar size or needs. If the levels are considered adequate in those communities a similar level proposed is generally presumed to be adequate and effective. These presumptions are by definition rebuttable.

The Task Force proposed staffing level of approximately one uniformed officer per 738 citizens. While this level of coverage is not at the high end of the range, it is in accord with that of many largely rural communities. It is also supported by a reasonable analysis of recently reported local crime incidents. Further, the proposed staffing level is similar to that which currently exists and has served this community well in the past.

Overall, there is a proposed reduction of three uniformed and four civilian staff. That however, is reasonable given the alternative approach of consolidating various functions (i.e. one chief of police instead of four, amalgamated records keeping and communications).

The proposed organisational structure and deployment of staff is well considered and sensible. It would allow the new service to meet the Act's requirements relating to crime prevention, law enforcement, assistance to victims of crime, public order maintenance and emergency response.

Certain aspects of the proposal are commendable. They include:

• new patrol system
• increased flexibility in staff assignment and deployment;
• the reduction of some levels of management
• the retention of existing experienced staff
• the establishment of a 20 person auxiliary unit
• the extension of 24 hour coverage to the municipality

It seems clear overall that the proposal should enhance front line coverage and provide many citizens of Chatham-Kent with improved policing services and also allow for enhanced officer safety.

This conclusion is supported by Chiefs Lunn, MacLean, Chambers and Roskamp based on their collective extensive policing experience in the communities in question. It is also endorsed by Mr. Maurice Hodgson.

There is nothing in the proposal which would call for the expanded use of special constables to assume the functions of serving police officers. The proposal itself has only three special constables occupying administrative support roles.

Under section 53 of the Act, the appointment and powers of any additional special constables would be subject to the approval of the Solicitor General. Further, section 53(4) specifically provides "A special constable shall not be employed by a police force to perform on a permanent basis, whether part-time or full-time, all the usual duties of a police officer."

The proposal calls for the appointment of a full-time training co-ordinator. Clearly, one individual could not provide all the training functions required for the new service. However, we are advised that a number of officers on staff are sufficiently experienced and are qualified to instruct first aid, use of force, K9, firearms, computer skills and law. They will be made available to assist in these functions.

The officers are to be deployed from a series of strategically located facilities. These facilities include the current police stations in Tilbury, Chatham and the former facility in Wallaceburg. Although renovations will be required, all are suited for the proposed purpose. We have been provided with plans, budgets and assurance that the necessary funds are available.

In Ridgetown two buildings are being considered for use as the District 2 service centre. One facility is the current OPP Detachment and the other the former municipal building. Ridgetown is in the part of the Municipality located south of Highway 401 and therefore a facility will not be required until January 1, 1999. Accordingly, we do not feel the fact that a choice has not been made is fatal to this application.

We have heard arguments from the owner of the building where the OPP Detachment is housed, indicating that her building is the superior location. That may well be, however, as noted earlier, it is not our role to assess the superiority of one option over another. After having examined the submitted material, we are satisfied that a renovated municipal building would provide an "adequate" facility. The ultimate choice between the two locations must be made by the Board and Municipal Council.

Overall, we are satisfied that the proposed service centres combined with the identified store-front and seasonal offices should provide adequate facilities for the proposed service. This is subject to the expeditious completion of any identified renovations and quick resolution of matters in Ridgetown.

We have reached a similar conclusion with respect to the proposed communications arrangement. At page 8 of Town of Goderich (April 15, 1996) the Commission stated:

It is self evident that a proper communications and dispatch system is a key element of "adequate and effective" policing. Citizens of a community must be able to readily contact their local police forces in cases of emergency. The police force must have an effective means to respond to such calls for service.

The existing 911 communications and dispatch system in Chatham-Kent with it's CrySis mapping system is excellent. However, to effectively meet the needs of all citizens effectively in the expanded municipality, modifications will be required prior to January 1, 1999.

We are satisfied that if those changes identified in the Schooley, Mitchell, Telecom Consultants report are completed along with the proposed public notification campaign, adequacy requirements will be more than met.

The proposed equipment for the service also appears satisfactory. We are pleased to note the consideration that has gone into the development of a plan for an integrated records keeping system with the common use of OMPPAC and CPIC entry. This should greatly assist in reducing paperwork, and should enhance front line policing and allow for the more effective co-ordination of policing resources. Indeed, one unified, commonly managed system in the place of the current five, should represent a significant benefit.

This leaves the question of severance and termination. All municipal officers and civilian staff are to be offered employment with the new Service. Further, we are advised by Mr. Goldsmith that there are no outstanding issues which require arbitration. Accordingly, the requirements of the Act are met.

Pursuant to our authority under section 40 of the Act, we consent to the abolition of the Chatham, Tilbury, Dresden and Wallaceburg Police Services to permit the creation of the Chatham-Kent Police Service.

This consent is effective September 1, 1998 for those areas of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent north of Highway 401. Prior to January 1, 1999 we require that the Commission be provided with a full report detailing the following:

1. hiring and training of new officers to meet the newly authorized complement;
2. renovations to service centres, store-front and seasonal offices and copies of tender documents, building permits, construction contracts and work schedules;
3. the final decision with respect to the proposed service centre in Ridgetown and final plan for any necessary renovations; and
4. upgrades to the communications system and copies of tender documents, purchase orders and work schedules.

Overall, we are satisfied that if fully implemented, the proposal should allow for adequate and effective policing in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. The proposal is clearly the result of a great deal of thoughtful effort, hard work and co-operation. In our opinion the plan is both practical and sensible and should serve the new community well. Those involved in this effort are to be commended and congratulated.

DATED THIS 14TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1998.

Murray W. Chitra Chair, OCCPS

Sam Cancilla Member, OCCPS

Charles B. Rycroft Member, OCCPS

Footnotes

1. 1Page 22, Final Restructuring Proposal for Kent County and the City of Chatham, April 28, 1997.