By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION — Two of the top cops who govern Whitewater Region were at last Wednesday’s council meeting to provide an update on what’s happening with policing in general and how it affects the township.
Inspector Stephan Neufeld and Sergeant Colin Slight, the detachment commanders for the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP and Renfrew OPP detachments, respectively, sat in the delegation seats as they presented their reports to council, which also included a break-down of costs.
Insp. Neufeld noted this was his first time at this council table and gave a brief history of himself, including being a 24-year member of the OPP and UOV is his sixth detachment and second as a commander.
A million dollar bill for policing in Whitewater Region
There was a detailed 11-page report provided on the costs to the township.
The total estimated cost for policing in Whitewater Region for this year is $1,096,553, and that’s after the year-end adjustment of $7,040 is subtracted.
The breakdown shows there is the base cost per property of $189.54, totalling $706,416. Then there is the added cost of calls for service, which was $93.65 per property, totalling $349,040. Then there is the overtime, ($7.80 per property) $29,082; prisoner transportation ($2.27) $8,460 and accommodation/cleaning services ($2.84) $10,595.
The base call per household includes salaries and benefits, and direct operating expenses, such as the communication center, operational support, telephone, office automation, vehicle usage and much more.
It also included where policing is at in the township with regards to various offences, such as drugs, drug possession, property crime violations, statutes and acts and traffic. The final few pages showed what each call within the township was for.
In 2017, there were 889 calls for service, an increase from 769 in 2014.
In 2017 some of these calls included 2 for possession of cannabis (pot); 2 for trafficking cocaine; 3 for animal bite; 201 for assist public; 50 for domestic disturbance; 29 for family dispute; 25 for neighbour dispute; 15 for suspicious vehicle; 89 for 911 call/911 hang up; 17 for keep the peace; 41 for break and enter; 21 for theft under $5,000-gasoline drive-off; 2 for theft under $5,000 – farm equipment; 18 for landlord/tenant; 6 for trespass to property act; 58 reportable motor vehicle collision with damage; and 26 for assault-level 1 (the full report can be found in the Jan. 9 council package online).Pt
Insp. Neufeld noted there are 165 detachments in the province.
Councillor Charlene Jackson questioned how councils find out how the properties are determined. She noted MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) provides the information to the police, but not to councils. As an example, she questioned if an apartment building is designated as one property or is the number determined by the number of apartments.
Insp. Neufeld noted for apartment buildings, it’s per apartment, however, if it’s a strip mall, it’s only one building.
Coun. Jackson said, “It would be nice if the OPP would ask MPAC to have that information made available.”
She was advised to put that question into an email to him and he will forward to the person who should be able to provide that information.
Councillor Chris Olmstead said there is “frustration in understanding the billing model.”
As an example, he noted calls for service decreased by 17 percent, however, the cost of policing is not decreasing.
Sgt. Colin explained that while calls for service may have decreased by 17 percent in one year, the billing is based on a four-year average. This way, if there are more calls one year and less the next, it will eventually work out, he said.
“The four-year average softens any spikes there may be,” he said.
Coun. Olmstead noted policing is one of the largest expenditures for the township, and yet council has no way of reducing it.
Sgt. Slight agreed, saying, “The Police Services Act outlines how you provide policing.”
He noted one way is to reduce the number of 911 butt calls. He recalled an incident where 911 was called from the Calabogie ski hill. However, when police officers arrived and tried to find out what happened, it was determined it was someone going up the chair-lift. Within a short period of time, that happened three times, he said, adding, each time two officers must attend. To cut down on butt calls at the ski hill, a sign was posted at the chair-lift area to turn off cell phones, he said.
People should be encouraged to call 1-888-310-1122 if it is not an emergency. 911 should only be used in an emergency situation.
UOV and Renfrew Reports
Insp. Neufeld said the current strategic plan for the OPP comes to an end in 2019 and they are guided by five categories: leadership, healthy workforce, technology, analytics and reinvestment.
“This is our road map we rely on and focus on to make every decision that we do in our day-to-day operations,” he said.
Insp. Neufeld then addressed each of the categories.
He also reviewed the calls for service for Jan. to Nov. 2018, noting most crimes have decreased. As an example, violent crime calls totalled 52 in 2018, while there were 11 in 2017; property crime violations totalled 194 in 2018 while the same time period in 2017 saw 270.
Other discussions included community policing, community programs and new for 2019 is the Community Safety and Well-Being Planning Framework each municipality must adopt within two years.
In community relations, Insp. Neufeld noted there were 154 school visits, 64 calls for service at schools, 221 media releases, 42 Crime Stoppers releases and there is the OPP auxiliary unit.
There are also focused patrols, such as snowmobiles, distracted driving, public mischief and pedestrian crossing, he said.
There are 10 support services, the OPP can call on when needed, including Emergency Response Team, Community Street Crime Unit, Field Support Bureau, Highway Safety Division and Forensic Identification Unit.
Sgt. Slight noted charges in the Renfrew detachment have increased, with 180 seatbelts in 2018 and 74 in 2017; 1,912 speeding charges in 2018 compared to 776 in 2017; 73 distracted driving in 2018 compared to 38 and 122 impaired charges compared to 83.
He then reviewed the OPP billing model; community policing; the community safety and well-being planning; safety and well-being framework and going forward into the future.
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin questioned when the Community Policing Advisory Committee (CPAC) meets for the Renfrew Detachment.
Sgt. Slight noted that the communities policed by the detachment area decide when the meetings are held. A few years ago, the Renfrew detachment communities said they were not interested in having set meetings.
“That committee is driven by you, it’s your committee,” he said.
Coun. McLaughlin said he was not aware of that and “would have been pushing for the meetings” had he known.
Both detachment commanders said if any council member had a concern, they would be available to discuss them.
