
“One of the things that has been consistent through all the police services boards and councils is traffic,” said Inspector Terry Ward, Commander of the Dufferin Detachment of the OPP. “We know it’s increasing and COVID has made these highways even busier.”
On October 21, 2021, Melancthon councillors heard from Ontario Provincial Police representatives regarding the costing and implementation of adding an enhancement of one full-time constable to their contract. The stated purpose of adding extra policing in Melancthon would be to increase traffic enforcement as residents have long been bringing attention to speeders in the area, with particular concern for children and the Mennonite community. If agreed upon for 2022, the estimated cost for the first year would be $201,000. In subsequent years, it’s currently estimated to be $180,000, with annual adjustments to adjust for cost-of-living increases, additional equipment, etc. If Melancthon does add an enhancement, OPP representatives said it could take six to eight months to get the constable in place. Councillors have agreed to discuss the addition of enhancing their police services contract during upcoming budget proceedings.
“That’s a pretty big chunk of our budget,” said Melancthon’s Mayor Darren White, Warden of Dufferin County. “That being said, we recognize the importance of moving forward.”
The amount raised through taxation in Melancthon last year was approximately $2.15 million, with the budgeted amount for 2021 being about $2.8 million. The OPP has submitted to Melancthon that estimated policing costs billed to Melancthon for 2022, without any enhancements, are just under $420,000. Melancthon was billed just over $400,000 in 2021.
“To be perfectly honest, I’m wondering what we’re paying for,” said Councillor Margaret Mercer. “It would be really nice to know what we are paying the police to do in the community, because as councillors, we’d like to know where the emphasis needs to be, and I just don’t have a sense of that through any of the information we’re receiving.”
At the last meeting, Melancthon council received the 2022 annual billing statement outlining the current cost structure and the previous four years’ calls for service in the township. Inspector Terry Ward explained how it was the duty of Melancthon’s police services board to keep council up to date and that the information was all publicly available so that the community could understand what the OPP is dealing with in their municipality.
“It starts basically with each one of you understanding your contract,” said Inspector Ward. “That’s the responsibility for you to make sure that you understand what the contract is all about and how it works.”
Councillor Wayne Hannon asked about Melancthon’s police services board adjusting its three-year action plan to address speeding and complaints around lack of traffic enforcement coming from across the municipality. Earlier that meeting, Inspector Ward told of the sharp increase in ticketing in Melancthon from 2020 to 2021. He said that there were 250 tickets written in Melancthon in 2020. For 2021, as of September, there were 657.
“As far as our action plan goes, that is a priority,” said Inspector Ward. “I know the people are out there doing the education and the enforcement piece when it comes to traffic in Melancthon,”
The next day at a joint meeting of Dufferin County’s police services boards, Inspector Terry Ward expressed the importance of councillors understanding their contract with the OPP and policing activities in their municipalities.
“When I get cornered with questions by politicians that have never even seen the contract and don’t even know what their municipality pays for, yet they’re trying to go at me on stuff, that’s when I get my back up,” said Inspector Ward. “If you’re going to question policing, then let’s make sure we’re educated, and we know what we’re talking about.”
OPP Municipal Policing Specialist Simon Looker gave a brief explanation of how the billing model was generally split between base services and calls for service. Base services include legislated activities like crime prevention, routine patrols, RIDE programs, as well as training and administration. The cost of base services is determined by the number of properties in the municipality and the standard province-wide average cost per property. Looker said for 2022, the average cost across the province will be $172.07 per property. Calls for service represent municipal costs related to police services that are typically reactive and require the presence of a police officer. Municipalities pay a proportionate share of the total cost of municipal calls for service calculated for the province, based on weighted time standards applied to past calls for service. Melancthon’s billing statement for 2021 shows that the breakdown was $229,840 for base services and $150,369 for calls for service. The remainder of the billed costs are attributed to overtime, prisoner transportation, and cleaning services.
Mayor White inquired about splitting the additional constable between two bordering municipalities to share the cost. Looker explained how they are not currently certain if the Community Safety and Policing Act, expected to come into force in 2022, would allow for the splitting of enhancements between municipalities. Looker told how the OPP was still waiting for clarification from their legal services on those details. Moreover, Looker said it was possible under current legislation but indicated that it is not done regularly for several reasons, including that policing contracts are between one municipality and the OPP. It was also communicated that the OPP is looking for this to be a long-term placement for the constable, as it would involve reassigning the officer to another area if Melancthon decided to cancel the enhancement.
“Adding an enhancement for the town, and for the OPP, is a significant investment in time and resources,” said Looker. “They do want to ensure that is going to be something that is locked in for the longer term.”
Mayor White asked Inspector Ward to consider whether Dufferin’s eight municipalities should pool their resources to supplement the traffic enforcement unit recently formed by the Dufferin detachment. Dufferin OPP’s traffic enforcement unit currently consists of three officers and is dedicated solely to enforcing traffic laws. Ward highlighted the difference between what Melancthon is presently examining and Caledon, which now has twenty-seven enhancements, one of the largest in the province.
“We’re talking one, so do the math, right?” said Ward. “If you’re looking for a police officer to be running enforcement on every highway in Melancthon Township, I can tell you right now, it’s not going to happen. I don’t have the bodies, resources, and vehicles to do that.”
References – Melancthon Considering Enhanced Traffic Enforcement
- October 21, 2021 Township of Melancthon Council Meeting Agenda – Township of Melancthon
- October 7, 2021 Township of Melancthon Council Meeting Agenda – Township of Melancthon
- 2021 Operating and Capital Budget – Township of Melancthon
- Melancthon Police Services Board Action Plan – Township of Melancthon
- JOINT MEETING OF THE DUFFERIN COUNTY SECTION 10 POLICE SERVICES BOARDS – Township of Melancthon
- Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 1, Sched. 1 – Government of Ontario
- 2021 Peel Budget – Region of Peel
- Proposed 2021 Budget: Caledon OPP – Region of Peel
- 2022 Billing Information – Ontario Provincial Police
- 2021 Estimated Front-line Constable And Support Costs – Ontario Provincial Police
- 2015-2021 Cost by Municipality – Ontario Provincial Police
More Dufferin News
- Dufferin Community Foundation Boosts Charities Aiding Locals
- Orangeville Homelessness Committee Examining Options
- Headwaters Radiologist Hopes to Bring Skills to Shelburne
- Unforeseen Issues with Alder Rec Centre Pool Project
- Melinda Davie Appointed to Town of Mono Council
- Ten Nominees Apply to Fill Town of Mono Council Vacancy
- Mono’s Future Councillor Could Lose Pay If Unvaccinated
- Dufferin County Adopts COVID Vaccination Policy for Staff
- Dufferin County May Adopt ‘Vaccinate or Terminate’ Policy
- Mulmur Township Defers Establishing Vaccination Policy
- Orangeville Mandates Vaccine for Council, Board Members
- Shelburne To Implement COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
- Shelburne Moves Towards Council & Staff Vaccine Policy
- Shelburne May Explore Vaccine Mandate for Town Staff
- CDRC hiring security to enforce vaccination requirements
- Alder Street Recreation Centre Pools To Be Replaced
- Town of Orangeville Progresses on Traffic Calming Policy
- Digital Transformation Grant Open to Small Businesses
- Mulmur Examines Municipal Truth & Reconciliation Actions
- Number of Dufferin Cannabis Retailers Could Soon Double
- What’s up for Orangeville’s Council Meeting tonight
- Two Members Resign From Dufferin Diversity Committee
- Vivid Moments, Vivid Memories Art Show
- Shelburne To Reduce Speed Limit To 40 KM/Hour
- Shelburne Speed Limit Reduced to 40km/hour
- Amaranth Moves Towards First Pride Month Proclamation
- Town of Grand Valley Revises Burn Bylaw
- Council Receives Update on Shelburne Splash Pad
- Truth and Reconciliation: Shelburne Calls on Governments
- Truth & Reconciliation: Mulmur Following Shelburne’s Lead
- Grand Valley Council Seat Open to Public Nominations
- Grand Valley Clears Cannabis Grower for Retail Sales
- Cannabis in Dufferin: What’s going on in Grand Valley?
- Grand Valley Councillor Gives Notice of Resignation
- Grand Valley Commemorates Councillor Elizabeth Taylor
- Melancthon One Step Closer to Filling Council Vacancy
- Grand Valley: Abandoned Monticello Subdivision Update
- Another Cannabis Retailer Looking at Grand Valley
- Shelburne Parks and Fields Fees Waived For 2021
- Shelburne Community Welcome Resumes Greeting Newcomers
- Town of Shelburne Re-Examining Land Acknowledgement
- Dufferin Receives Notice of Development Moratorium
- Reports of People ‘Squatting’ at Monora Park
- Haldimand Tract Moratorium: Current Practices Insufficient
- Haldimand Tract Moratorium: Dufferin Politicians Respond
- Broadway Sidewalk Brick Replacement Project Pushed Off
- Canada Day 2021 in Orangeville, Shelburne, Grand Valley
- Township of Amaranth Selects New Integrity Commissioner
- Orangeville To Honour Indigenous Children
- Filming along Orangeville’s Broadway this Canada Day
- Councillors Talk School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Program
- Contrary to Reports, Amaranth Flag Raising Policy Unused
- Commissioner Report on Currie’s Pride Remarks Released
- Mayor of Amaranth responds to investigation report
- Mayor Currie Doubtful of Integrity Commissioner’s Value
- IS AMARANTH’S MAYOR CURRIE RESIGNING?
- AMARANTH MAYOR CURRIE UNLEASHES HIS FURY
- Amaranth Residents Call Out Mayor Currie’s Empty Threat
- Amaranth Mayor Bob Currie: “All Lives Matter”
- Mayor Bob Currie Protests Donation to Food Banks
- AMARANTH MAYOR DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO RAISE PRIDE FLAG FOR 2021
- AMARANTH’S DEPUTY MAYOR CALLS OUT MAYOR’S PRIDE INTOLERANCE
- AMARANTH MAYOR: WHY CAN’T WE USE THE RIVER TO FIGHT FIRES?!
- Dufferin County Staff: Pay Volunteers on Committees
- Dufferin Committee Volunteer Pay Decision Pushed Off
- Dufferin Receives Notice of Development Moratorium
- Haldimand Tract Moratorium: Current Practices Insufficient
- Haldimand Tract Moratorium: Dufferin Politicians Respond
- Indigenous names may be used for Grand Valley’s new streets
- Tent Permit Fee Being Waived for Dufferin County Businesses
- Businesses Operating in Mono Parks Without Permits
- Dufferin EarlyON Staff To Be Cut By 53%
- Dufferin County Road 109 & County Road 3: Roundabout?
- Dufferin Oaks Front Entrance Project $94,500 Over Budget
- Contrary to Reports, Amaranth Flag Raising Policy Unused
- Shelburne Letters Signage Pushed Off For Time Being
- Update on vacant council seat in Amaranth Township
- Shelburne Council Continues to Mull Giant Letters
- Plans for Giant Letters in Shelburne Park May Get Nixed
- Shelburne Pushes Ahead on Jack Downing Park
- Dufferin County Council: Responding to Racism and Hate
- Amaranth Council: Investigate all ‘Residential Schools’
- Reports of People ‘Squatting’ at Monora Park
- $800k Dufferin Rail Corridor Resurfacing Project Approved
- Commissioner Report on Currie’s Pride Remarks Released
- See Crime in Orangeville? Call the Police, Not Town Hall!
- WDG Public Health Holds Session on Vaccine Hesitancy
- Lockdown Protest Organizer May See ‘Expanded Charges’
- Bruce Trail Conservancy Makes Plea of Shelburne Community
- Dufferin Muslim Groups Make Demand of Local Politicians
- Mulmur Council Wants Meetings Accessible Post-COVID
- Thumbnail Sketches: Artist Kayla Jackson
- Orangeville Police Service Board Talks Lockdown Protests
- Accessible Website? Fines Coming For Noncompliant Orgs
- Local Digital Marketing Firm Pushes Online Accessibility
- Some Organizations Face AODA Compliance Deadline
- UGDSB Scraps School Resource Officer Program
- Big Upgrades Announced for Grand Valley Community Centre
- Task Force Advises UGDSB Cancel Resource Officer Program
- Shelburne Names Members to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee
- MELANCTHON’S NEW COUNCILLOR HAS BEEN CHOSEN!
- Candidates Seeking Vacant Seat Questioned By Melancthon’s Council
- Melancthon One Step Closer to Filling Council Vacancy
- WDGPH: ‘Number of factors at play’ BIPOC 5x more likely to catch COVID
- Andrew Cunningham: Black History Month in Dufferin
- Polvier Folkes-Grandison: Black History Month in Dufferin
- Trisha Linton: Black History Month in Dufferin
- Dufferin County Rejects WDGPH Request for Assistance
- Internet in Town of Mono: ‘No Home Left Behind’
- Shelburne’s Police Services Board – More Barriers Broken
- Township of Amaranth Council Vacancy Filled!
- A New Magazine with A ‘Local Purpose’ is On Its Way!
- Dufferin Marketing Firm Grows While Giving Back
- Vaccines: Headwaters Hospital Manager Puts Family First
- A Discussion with Orangeville Councillor Todd Taylor
- Two cars go off road in a week at Rolling Hills & McCannell
- WDPGH Releases COVID-19 Vaccine Information
- #Shoes4Shelburne 2020: An Overwhelming Success
- Rogers, Bank of China, Anti-Abortion Groups Take CEWS
- Shelburne’s Deck The Door Contest 2020 has a Victor!
- A Taste of Jamaica in Shelburne with Smokey Island Grille
- More on ‘Workplace Isolating’ in East Garafraxa Township
- East Garafraxa Public Works Staff ‘Workplace Isolating’
- ‘Trojan Horse’ Proposed at Fung Loy Kok in Mono
- Dufferin County Councillor Brings Religion Into Politics
- Passionate Outpourings, A Life of Much Artistic Verve & Vitality!
- Shelburne Street Names Will Honour Black & Indigenous Past
- Robert Allen: A Man For All Seasons
- Orangeville Transit Hub Downtown Location Gets Nixed
- Orangeville Council Wants Access to Drive Tests Limited
- NEW DETAILS ON WE CHARITY ‘EXONERATION’
- MP Kyle Seeback Asks For Local Business Nominations!
- There is assistance for homeless men in Dufferin County!
- Dufferin News Contributor Gets 3rd at McMichael Art Show
- My Crafty Neighbour has a space with limitless opportunity!
- New Grand Valley Pizza Place Opens Tonight!
- “Please…symptoms can widely range…don’t assume it’s just a cold!”
- Town of Orangeville Staff tests positive for COVID-19
- Epidemiologist Calls Out Upper Grand DSB
- Ontario teachers, exposed to COVID, may still go to class
- UGDSB TRUSTEE CALLS BUSES “ROLLING INCUBATORS”
- IS ENOUGH BEING DONE TO KEEP LUNCHES SAFE IN THE UGDSB?
- ‘Glimmer of hope’ as Dufferin business community nears second wave
- Through the eyes of a Canadian female collective
- Robert Allen: A Man For All Seasons
- Marnie Cooke: “How do you turn off your ears?”
- Streams Community Hub: A New Age For The Dufferin Arts
- Tony Rose Pool Closure May Decimate Orangeville Otters!
- ORANGEVILLE USED IN MARKETING CROWD CONTROL TECHNOLOGY
- IRIS R&D Group Responds: We Don’t Own FaceMatch
- Orangeville Under Surveillance?! What is IRIS R&D?
- Orangeville Library Consolidation: Who Gets Hurt?
- Orangeville Food Bank Has Officially Moved!
- Is The Orangeville Banner Endangering Public Health?!
- Essential Worker? What’s it actually mean?
- Discussion on Development – Orangeville Councillor Todd Taylor
- Dufferin Speaks – Hansen Development: Discussion with Darrin Davidson
- Dufferin News – Videojournalism For Our Community
- Press Release: Dufferin’s Spotlight Production launches Online Community News Program
- Interested in Being A Contributor? Apply Here!