ONTARIO CIVILIAN COMMISSION ON POLICE SERVICES
IN THE MATTER OF an application for consent to the abolition of the Tillsonburg Police Service
Presiding Members: Bob Saracino, Member Frederic G. Farrell, Q.C., Member
Appearances: Dave Beres, Town Councillor Deputy Mayor Irv Horton, Town of Tillsonburg Walter Burton, Chair, Tillsonburg Police Services Board A/Chief Chris Coles, Tillsonburg Police Service Sergeant Charlie Williamson, Ontario Provincial Police John Murray, President, Tillsonburg Police Association Shelagh Morris, Advisor, Police Support Programs Branch, Ministry of the Solicitor General John Murray Sr., Citizen Fred Lewis, Citizen
Hearing Date: Monday, February 7, 2000
This is an application by the Town of Tillsonburg (the "Town") and the Tillsonburg Police Services Board (the "Board") pursuant to section 40 of the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15 as amended (the "Act") for consent to the abolition of the Tillsonburg Police Service (the "Service") for the purposes of having policing for the municipality provided by the Ontario Provincial Police (the "OPP").
Background:
Oxford County is located in southern Ontario. It is bisected by Highway 401 as it runs between the cities of London and Cambridge. According to the most recent survey, the population of the County is 98,905. The area is a mixture of urban and rural communities.
Municipal government in Oxford County is provided at two levels. The upper tier is governed by a County Council. The lower tier consists of eight area municipalities. These include the Town of Tillsonburg, City of Woodstock, Town of Ingersoll and the Townships of Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, South-West Oxford and Zorra. The Townships in turn consist of a number of villages.
Policing in Oxford County is currently provided by four police forces. They include:
- Oxford Community Police Service - responsible for the City of Woodstock and Townships of Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra- Tavistock, and Norwich
- Ingersoll Police Service - responsible for the Town of Ingersoll
- Ontario Provincial Police - responsible for South-West Oxford and Zorra Townships
- Tillsonburg Police Service - responsible for the Town of Tillsonburg
It is the latter two police services that are the subject of this application.
Police restructuring has been the subject of debate in Oxford County for a number of years. In 1996 Oxford County Council established a committee to examine various policing options. Consensus could not be reached and individual area municipalities were left to deal with the matter.
The City of Woodstock and the Townships of Blanford-Blenheim, East Zorra- Tavistock and Norwich elected to establish an amalgamated municipal service.1
The Town of Ingersoll decided to retain its municipal police service. The Town of Tillsonburg and Townships of South-West Oxford and Zorra chose to pursue a contract with the OPP for an integrated contract police service. This proposed integrated arrangement is the subject of this application.
The sequence of events leading to this hearing is as follows:
- December 15, 1997, the Council of Tillsonburg passed a resolution to pursue a costing for an OPP policing proposal for the Town.
- February 24, 1998, the OPP received approval from the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services (the "Solicitor General") to develop an OPP costing proposal.
- March 8, 1999, the OPP presented its proposal to Town Council.
- May 6, 1999, Council passed a resolution to accept in principle the proposal for contract policing with the OPP based on an integrated model with South-West Oxford and Zorra Townships.
Copies of these resolutions were forwarded to the Solicitor General with a request that the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services (the "Commission") review the proposal as required by section 40 of the Act.
The request was considered by the Commission at a regularly scheduled meeting. It was agreed that a public meeting under section 40 of the Act would be convened to examine the proposal. The meeting was scheduled for February 7, 2000 at the Lion's Den in the Tillsonburg Community Centre, 45 Hardy Avenue in Tillsonburg. Notice of the meeting was published in local newspapers.
That meeting was held as scheduled and nine presentations received. Since that time we have requested and received additional material.
The Law:
Policing in Ontario is governed by the provisions of the 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 may be accomplished in a number of different ways. A municipality may establish and maintain its own police force, enter into a joint policing arrangement with another municipality or contract for policing services from the OPP.
For a police service to be "adequate and effective", it must have the necessary staff, administration, equipment, infrastructure and facilities to perform certain functions. According to section 4(2) of the Act, these include crime prevention, law enforcement, assistance to victims of crime, public order maintenance and emergency response.
Once a municipal police force has been established, it can only be abolished for the purpose of putting in place one of the other policing options (i.e. OPP contract policing) after following the procedures set out in the Act. Specifically section 40 provides that.
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 board to submit the matter to arbitration and give any necessary direction in that connection.
If the Commission is of the view that these requirements have been met, then a municipality may enter into a contract with the Solicitor General under section 10 of the Act for policing to be provided by the OPP.
The Issues:
The nature of this scheme is to ensure that no municipal police force is abolished unless arrangements are in place which will satisfactorily meet the policing needs of the community in question. Any new arrangement must provide for the appropriate staff, equipment and facilities to ensure adequate and effective policing. In addition, no member of a municipal police force is to be terminated without steps being taken to allow for proper severance.
There are two fundamental issues to be dealt with:
First, does the proposed new arrangement appear to provide adequate and effective police services that meet the needs of the community? In this respect, the Commission shall receive and review the proposal which has been accepted by the Council and the Board and consider any public comment and submission.
Given that the proposal in question not only calls for the abolition of the Tillsonburg Police Service, but to replace it with an arrangement that would integrate the policing resources of three municipalities, it is necessary to examine the proposal in total.
The next issue is whether under the proposal the current members of the police service which is the subject of the abolition, are being dealt with on a fair and reasonable basis. If any member is to be terminated as a consequence of the abolition, the question then becomes whether the parties have reached an agreement with respect to severance or have consented to having any outstanding matters referred to arbitration. If so, the Commission is satisfied and our involvement in this issue would be at an end. However, if no agreement has been concluded, then the Commission may order the parties to arbitration on the outstanding issues.
It should be noted that under section 40, the Commission does not decide between alternative proposals or assess which method of providing policing services will be most economical or otherwise preferred. Those decisions rest solely with the local community through the appropriate Municipal Council and Police Services Board.
Further, it is not the function of the Commission to determine what may or may not be an appropriate severance agreement. This function rests solely between the bargaining parties and, failing an agreement, arbitration.
Current Policing Arrangement:
The Town is a community of approximately 14,400 residents with 5,376 households located at the southern end of Oxford County at the junction of Elgin County and the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk. Tillsonburg is the local centre for industry, commerce, recreation and hospital facilities serving a broader population over a 30 - mile radius. The Town is approximately 25.3 sq. km in size with 105 km of roads.
The Town has had a municipal police service since 1872. The Service provides twenty-four hour coverage, seven days a week. It operates out of a modern seven year old 12,600 square foot facility located centrally in Tillsonburg at 90 Concession Street East.
At present, the Service consists of a chief of police, deputy chief of police, four sergeants and sixteen constables. This represents a uniformed officer to citizen ratio of 1:655 (22 uniformed officers: 14,400 citizens) and a supervisor to constable ratio of 1:2.7 (6 supervisors: 16 constables). The Service also has three volunteer auxiliary officers.
The Service employs eight full time civilian employees. They include:
- 1 administrative assistant
- 1 records clerk
- 1 court officer
- 1 by-law officer
- 4 full-time dispatchers
The Service is further supported by three part-time dispatchers and two part- time special constables.
The Service has its own radio communications system. In addition to police dispatch it also provides communications services for the Tillsonburg Fire Department, four volunteer fire departments in Norfolk Township and after-hours for Tillsonburg PUC and Public Works.
The Townships of South-West Oxford and Zorra are located to the north and west of the Town. They are primarily rural areas with a combined population of 16,495 and 5,939 households in an area of approximately 960 sq. km. The Township of South-West Oxford has 296 km of municipal roads and the Township of Zorra has 508 km of municipal roads.
The Townships are policed by OPP staff operating from the Woodstock Detachment located at Exit 31 on Highway 401. There are also OPP Community policing offices located at 141 Dundas Street West, Thamesford (81 sq. ft.); 121 Huron Street, Embro (755 sq. ft.); and 434794 Zorra Line, Beachville (754 sq. ft.).
The Woodstock Detachment also houses a number of the officers assigned to provincial policing duties. These are primarily focused on Highway 401 which during summer months is traveled by over 50,000 cars and trucks during the course of a single day. There are 52.2 km of Highway 401 in Oxford County and 7.9 km of Highway 403.
In 1999 the Townships were invoiced for the services of 14.23 uniformed officers (7.47 for South-West Oxford and 6.76 for Zorra). This represents a municipal officer to citizen ratio of 1:1159 (14.23 uniformed officers: 16,495 citizens).
Accordingly, the current combined municipal policing resources for the three municipalities are 36.23 uniformed officers for a population of 30,895. This represents an overall municipal officer to citizen ratio of 1:853.
The Proposal:
The proposed policing arrangement was outlined to us by Sergeant Charles Williamson of the OPP.
Essentially, it calls for an integration of municipal policing resources from Tillsonburg, South-West Oxford and Zorra. As well, they would be combined with OPP officers performing provincial policing duties (i.e. 401 patrols).
Staffing:
The overall integrated complement would be as follows:
- staff sergeant: 1
- sergeants: 5
- patrol constables: 39
- community services: 2
- detective constables: 4
- court officer: 1
- total: 52
They would be supported by 5 OPP civilian employees and an auxiliary unit of 25 members.
The portion of this total complement allocated to municipal policing in the Town would be:
- staff sergeant: .67
- sergeants: 1.65
- patrol constables: 13
- community services: 1
- detective constables: 2
- court officer: 0
- total: 17.98
Three of the OPP civilian positions will be assigned to the municipal complement. These positions would be occupied by civilian employees of the Service who would be offered employment with the OPP. Two would perform clerical support duties and one would assume responsibility for Tillsonburg court case management.
Further, the Town has agreed to retain a number of the existing Service's civilian employees on the municipal payroll. The equivalent of five full time dispatchers would be employed to continue to provide communications services for local fire departments and the Tillsonburg PUC and Public Works. They would be located in the police station so that they could also provide reception services. This would permit the station to be open 24 hours a day.
The one by-law enforcement officer and two part-time special constables would be hired by the Town. The special constables would provide prisoner escort and live monitoring of police cells.
All current uniformed members of the Service have been offered employment with the OPP. The three auxiliary members have been invited to join the OPP Auxiliary Unit.
This staff will be combined with the municipal policing resources allocated to South-West Oxford and Zorra Townships.
Assuming similar invoicing practices, (14.23 officers based on 1999 figures) the total proposed municipal complement allocated to the three municipalities would be 32.21. This would leave 19.79 officers to perform provincial duties.
Accordingly, the overall proposed municipal officer to citizen ratio for the three integrated municipalities would be 1:959 (32.21 officers: 30,895 citizens).
Deployment:
Tillsonburg, South-West Oxford and Zorra would continue to receive twenty four hours policing coverage seven days a week.
Under the proposed model there will be three officers assigned to each of four platoons, working twelve-hour rotating shifts. A minimum of two officers will be working in the Town of Tillsonburg at any one time. Six to seven officers will be assigned to the remaining zones on each platoon. There will be four patrol zones:
Zone 1 - Town of Tillsonburg. The Town as a zone is further divided into two sub zones:
- Zone 1A covers the southern part of the Town
- Zone 1B covers the northern part of the Town (Concession Street is the dividing line between north and south)
Zone 2 - Township of Southwest Oxford Zone 3 - Township of Zorra Zone 4 - Traffic and general enforcement of 400 series highways
We have been provided with a sample duty roster showing how officers would be deployed in all four areas.
Courts:
There is no change to the existing court locations. Courts are currently located in Tillsonburg and in the City of Woodstock (approximately 27 km from Tillsonburg).
Facilities:
It is proposed that the Woodstock OPP detachment be closed and all officers relocated to Service Headquarters at 90 Concession Street, Tillsonburg.
As noted earlier this is a modern 12,600 square foot facility. The facility has:
- a computerized security system
- interview rooms
- a community room which serves as a parade room and police classroom
- separate administration and operations areas
- communications, records and sergeants offices
- a patrol officers room and library
- an exercise room
- six cells (males, females and young offenders) monitored by closed circuit television
The facility is also equipped with lockers and shower facilities for officers and staff, barrier free washrooms, storage for officers' weapons and long guns, secure lockup areas, a sally port and two garages.
The OPP Facilities Branch conducted a site visit and determined that "the only visible modifications required at the Tillsonburg Police Service's building would be to add additional lockers to the male locker/shower room. To achieve this, the general constable's area could move to the meeting room and the weight room could move to the former general constable's area. This would create vacant space (former weight room) adjacent to the current male locker/shower room that could accommodate additional lockers."
We have had an opportunity to tour the facility and have been provided with detailed architect's drawings.
The three existing Community Policing Offices in Thamesford, Embro and Beachville will remain for use of officers on patrol. All are computer and telephone equipped.
Equipment:
In addition to the equipment provided to existing OPP officers it is proposed that the Tillsonburg OPP contract staff be issued:
- 5 marked vehicles
- 1 unmarked vehicle
- 1 breathalyzer
- 3 roadside screening devices
- 3 radar units
- long guns, spike belts
The Service currently uses the Sig Sauer P229 semi-automatic handgun. This is the same handgun as the OPP.
Communications:
Under the proposal officers will be dispatched from the OPP Communications Centre in London. The OPP communications system is a hybrid microwave system using several linked communications towers throughout the County and surrounding areas. There is overlapping coverage.
Officers will be equipped with portable radios while on patrol. Police vehicles will have in-car repeaters to extend radio coverage. The system has the capacity for the following communications modes: Communications Centre to vehicle, Centre to portable radio, phone patch to vehicle, phone patch to portable, tower to vehicle, tower to portable, and portable to portable.
The Centre has both battery and diesel generator power backup. It monitors Simplex and the Provincial Common Channel. All incoming and outgoing radio and telephone calls are recorded.
The Communications Centre is staffed twenty-four hours per day, 365 days a year. It has 49 communications operators, 6 sergeant/team leaders, a technologist and a sergeant/unit commander. The sergeants are available to provide operation support to officers on patrol.
The OPP Communication Centre is a downstream agency for the enhanced 911 system. Citizens in Tillsonburg would be able to reach the OPP by calling 911 in case of an emergency. Access through a toll free 1-888 number, OPP (*677) from a cellular phone, a local administration number and teletypewriter (TTY) for the hearing impaired would be provided.
Records Management:
The OPP uses the Ontario Municipal and Provincial Police Automation Co- Operative (OMPPAC) as their records management system. This is linked to Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD).
The Service uses a third party computer program called HOLUS for their records management system. It is proposed that this would be discontinued and all existing municipal records turned over to the OPP. This would include CPIC files.
Transition:
It is proposed that, if the application is approved, arrangements will be made through local media to advise citizens.
Service officers will commence joint patrols with their OPP counterparts. They will be trained on the OPP telecommunications system and other equipment. Officers joining the OPP will receive a one-week orientation course at the OPP Academy in Orillia.
Decision:
Is the proposal as presented by the OPP and approved by both Council and the Board likely to provide the Town of Tillsonburg with adequate and effective police services?
The Act does not currently define what constitutes adequate and effective police services. However, certain sections of the Act and prior Commission decisions provide assistance. 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:
- Crime prevention.
- Law enforcement.
- Assistance to victims of crime.
- Police order maintenance.
- 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, building and supplies".
Commission decisions in various contexts have articulated different tests to assess or determine adequacy. At page 15 of Municipality of Chatham-Kent (14 August, 1998) we stated:
Broadly these tests have been 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.
How do these tests apply to this application?
At the present time the Town of Tillsonburg and the Townships of South-West Oxford and Zorra Townships are policed by two different services. The Town deploys 22 uniformed officers for an officer to citizen ratio of 1:655. The Townships paid in 1999 for 14.23 uniformed officers for an officer to citizen ratio of 1:1159.
Based on the above, the three collectively employed 36.23 uniformed officers to provide municipal police services to a total population of 30,895. This represents an overall officer to citizen ratio of 1:853.
It is proposed to integrate these resources into a new structure consisting of 32.21 uniformed officers for an officer to citizen ratio of 1:959. On the face of it this is a reduction of 4.02 officers and a decrease in the officer to citizen ratio of 12.4 per cent.
It is suggested that the proposed complement is supported by workload analysis data for calls for service. As well, we are advised that the new arrangement has certain obvious advantages. These include:
- a reduction in management (i.e. one less chief and deputy chief)
- the availability of provincial officers working out of the same detachment to support municipal policing requirements
- access to OPP Regional and Headquarters resources
- the availability of a significant auxiliary unit.
That being said, how does this proposed arrangement compare with communities of similar character, size and needs? It is worthwhile to examine the policing arrangements for the neighboring municipalities that form the balance of Oxford County.
As noted earlier, Oxford County consists of eight municipalities. Immediately to the east is the City of Woodstock and Townships of Blandford-Blenhiem, East Zorra Tavistock and Norwich. These four adjoining municipalities are policed by the Oxford Community Police Service. That service deploys 75 full time officers, 24 full time and six part time civilians and 16 auxiliaries. This is for a population of 57,500 residents in an area of 1059 sq. km and represents an officer to citizen ratio of 1:766.
The Town of Ingersoll is located at the intersection of South-West Oxford and Zorra Townships. It has a population of 10,009 and a municipal police force with an authorized complement of 16 uniformed police officers. This represents an officer to citizen ratio of 1:626.
When these five municipalities are combined they have a total of 91 municipal officers for 67,509 citizens. This is an overall ratio of officers to citizens of 1:742 for the balance of Oxford County.
Accordingly, it would appear that the proposed policing arrangement for Tillsonburg, South-West Oxford and Zorra calls for 29% fewer officers per capita than the rest of the County (1:959 vs. 1:742). This is a significant difference. How does this compare with bordering counties and regional municipalities?
Recently the Commission examined an OPP proposal for Brant County which is located immediately to the east of Oxford County.2 It is also a mixed rural and urban community with a population of 29,150 and 10,780 households. This is similar to the three municipalities in question. It occupies 525.11 sq. km and has approximately 1300 km of roads. The approved officer to citizen ratio for this integrated OPP contract policing arrangement was 1:688.
The Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk is immediately to the south and east of Oxford County. It is a mixed rural and urban community of 2,876 sq. km with a population of approximately 98,000. The Commission examined a proposed OPP integrated contract policing arrangement for that community in 1998.3 The approved police to citizen ratio was 1:726.
In 1999 the Commission also considered a proposed integrated OPP contract policing arrangement for Wellington County.4 This municipality does not immediately border Oxford County, but is located a few dozen kilometres to the north and east. It is a mixed rural and urban community with a population of 63,500. It is also bisected by Highway 401. The approved citizen to officer ratio was 1:754.
Given the above, it would appear that the integrated arrangement proposed for Tillsonburg, South West Oxford and Zorra would also call for a level of policing significantly lower than OPP policing arrangements in neighboring communities (1:959 vs. 1:688, 1:726 and 1:754).
Can this difference be justified? We have examined the information provided and are not convinced that the need for policing services in Tillsonburg, South- West Oxford and Zorra is so distinct to warrant such a difference with the other mixed rural and urban communities in this part of southern Ontario.
In this regard, we note, in the data provided calls for service in South-West Oxford and Zorra appear to have increased over the years (1996-3145, 1997- 3014 and 1998-3772). Factoring in Tillsonburg, the demand for policing services in the area appears consistent (1996-14285, 1997-12641, and 1998- 13548).
Demographically, the area has a relatively youthful population. Indeed, in South-West Oxford 23.5% of the residents are age 14 and under. In the Town 28.3% of residents are age 24 and under. This trend is expected to continue.
Further, the total area to be policed is significant in size. In total, it is 985.3 square kilometres with 909 kilometres of roads.
The above factors do not support a decrease in uniformed officer presence or a level of coverage significantly different from the balance of the County of neighboring municipalities.
Accordingly, we would increase the proposed municipal complement by 7 front line uniformed officers for an overall citizen to officer ratio of 1:788. We believe that this increase is required to provide the range of policing services contemplated by section 4(2) of the Act at an "adequate and effective" level.
Generally, we find the proposed manner of deployment of officers (i.e., 4 platoon and zones) to be acceptable. However, platoon size will have to be adjusted to reflect the increase in front line staff.
As well, the proposal calls for six supervisory staff (1 inspector or staff sergeant and five sergeants). With the increase this would represent 6 managers for 58 uniformed officers and civilians. Overall, this would represent one manager for every 9.7 staff. This would represent an acceptable span of control.5
We also note that the proposal calls for the transfer of a number of Service staff to the municipal payroll, to continue to provide some police related duties. We refer specifically to the five full-time dispatchers (equivalent) who would work in the police station and act as receptionists and the two part time special constables who would monitor police cells and provide prisoner escort. In Town of Tecumseh (January 20, 2000, OCCPS) we expressed concern about such arrangements. Specifically, we stated at page 14 of that decision:
Even assuming that such an arrangement is permissible under the relevant collective agreements, we are concerned that the employees in question could be moved or transferred, reassigned, or their work priorities changed by their municipal employers based on concerns unrelated to policing needs.
Accordingly, to our mind it is important that any contract between the municipality and the OPP provide that for the term of the agreement these positions remain in place and be dedicated to policing.
To the extent that the five full time equivalents and two part time positions in this case involve policing duties, we believe that the same logic would apply.
The next issue is facilities. We are satisfied that the modern Service headquarters at 90 Concession Street would be a suitable location for the integrated detachment. Clearly, additional lockers would have to be installed and any other improvements subsequently identified by the Infrastructure Support Bureau of the OPP completed before it could be used for this purpose.
Maintaining the three existing Community Policing Offices in Thamesford, Embro and Beachville seems prudent.
The proposed equipment for the integrated detachment would appear to be sufficient. This is based on the assumption that it will be adjusted to reflect the increase in uniformed officer complement.
We have also considered the proposed communications and dispatch arrangement. As we noted at page 8 of Town of Goderich (April 15, 1998, OCCPS):
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.
It is proposed that communications and dispatch for the integrated detachment be provided by the OPP Communications Centre in London. This the current arrangement for OPP officers assigned to Oxford County.
The Commission has previously examined the operations of the operations of the OPP Communications Centre.6 On these occasions it has been deemed to be suitable and we see no reason why that same conclusion would not apply here.
The proposed transitional plan seems realistic given the progress to date.
Overall, assuming the modifications referred to above are met, we are satisfied that the proposed arrangement will provide the necessary administration and infrastructure to allow for adequate and effective policing in the Town and other areas included in the proposed integrated policing arrangement.
This brings us to the issues of termination and severance. As noted above all uniformed members and three full time civilian employees of the Service have been offered employment with the OPP. As well, the equivalent of five full time civilian communicators, a by-law enforcement officer and two part-time special constables have been offered employment with the Town.
We have been informed that settlement discussions have been undertaken with the Tillsonburg Police Association. We are advised that these have not been concluded. We were also advised, subsequent to the hearing, that the Deputy Chief and the Tillsonburg Police Services Board had not reached a severance agreement. We therefore direct that if there are any outstanding severance issues 90 calendar days from the date of this decision that the parties proceed forthwith to arbitration.
Accordingly, pursuant to section 40 of the Police Services Act, we consent to the abolition of the Tillsonburg Police Service.
This approval is subject to the following conditions:
- The proposed complement be increased by 7 front line uniformed officers. These officers will be provided all necessary equipment.
- The contract between the municipality and OPP clearly provide that the civilian support staff hired by the Town are to be available to provide policing duties (i.e. reception, escort and cell monitoring) and that the positions are to remain in place during the term of the agreement.
- All renovations to the facility at 90 Concession Street, Tillsonburg identified by the Infrastructure Support Bureau of the OPP be completed.
- Any severance issues outstanding 90 days following release of this decision proceed forthwith to arbitration.
The proposal, as described above, is not to be altered without consent in writing from the Commission.
DATED THIS 13TH DAY OF JUNE, 2000.
Bob Saracino Member, OCCPS
Frederic G. Farrell, Q.C. Member, OCCPS
Footnotes
- See Oxford Community Police Service (December 18, 1998, OCCPS)
- Brant County (June 2, 2000. OCCPS)
- Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk (September 24, 1998)
- Wellington County (July 19, 1999, OCCPS)
- Town of Goderich (October 27, 1997, OCCPS)
- See Regional Municipality of Haldimand Norfolk (September 24, 1998, OCCPS) at page 13 and Brant County (June 2, 2000, OCCPS) at page 12.