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OPP decision should go to public

December 14, 2018   ·   0 Comments

Pandora’s Box has been reopened in Orangeville.

It’s a move we all knew was coming, but when the community’s new mayor, Sandy Brown, tabled the motion officially calling for a second OPP costing in as many years, gasps could be heard from within what was a jam-packed council chambers. 

Now, you would be forgiven for assuming they were gasps of unpleasant surprise, disappointment, or even disapproval. After all, there have been many of those over the past four years at Town Hall. But no. Looking around the room on what was this council’s first night of official business, they appeared to be gasps of approval. Of excitement, even. And rightfully so. 

That Mayor Brown, flanked by a fully supportive council, would choose to bring this motion forward at the earliest possible opportunity speaks volumes of the ambition of this new team. It shows, too, that they aren’t afraid to confront the community’s biggest issues right from the get go, even despite their lack of experience inside council chambers. 

Make no mistake about it, the ongoing dispute surrounding Ontario Provincial Police vs Orangeville Police Service is one of, if not the biggest issue facing our community today. It’s the one item all 17 individuals who ran for municipal office discussed at length in the lead up to the Oct. 22 election. No matter what it was, they all had an opinion. The same can be said for thousands of residents throughout our community.

So the question that remains is what happens now? Orangeville will officially find its way on a very short list of communities requesting an OPP costing. At this point, it’s not a short list because other communities aren’t interested in signing a contract with the OPP, it’s a short list because all of those that are interested have already done the deed.

Of the 414 local municipalities in Ontario, 323 are policed by the OPP. That’s a shade over 78 percent. And when you start to look at some of the communities who don’t buy into the OPP model, large cities or communities on the rise, one starts to wonder where, exactly, Orangeville fits in the grand scheme of things.

And that, we believe, should be decided by you – the community. As the largest item on the community’s budget each and every year, OPS is an easy scapegoat for those who want to see the Town save some money, especially considering the reported $4.3 million in annual savings the community would see by switching to OPP. But it is important to remember the value OPS brings to the community, both in terms of service and what it represents. 

In essence, Orangeville still maintains control of its police service. Local council, and the local Police Services Board, can mould it in any way they like. Could the same be said for a police service operating under the provincial model? We’re not so sure. 

That’s not to say the OPP delivers a lower level of service than OPS. It’s just different. Decided, largely, by individuals with no vested interest in your community.

So the question then becomes, is it worth, potentially, paying a premium to maintain that local control? That local feel? Which brings us to our point. There has been mention of a referendum taking place in Orangeville to decide this issue once and for all. It did not come about the last time this issue was front and centre. Could and should we expect to see one this time around?

It’s true that the community elects its municipal leaders to make tough decisions on their behalf. But, every now and again, there comes a decision too big for seven individuals to decide on their own. This, we feel, is one of those decisions.

The future of the community’s policing service should be put to a public vote. Only then will we know, once and for all, what the community wants. And, at the end of day, shouldn’t the community get what it wants when they’re the ones footing the bill? Food for thought.  

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