County ends regional policing debate

Essex County Civic Centre.

The possibility of Essex County exploring a regional police force seems to have come to an end.

Amherstburg is shopping around for a new police service and one idea, as recently presented to the county by Mayor Michael Prue, was to explore the option of a county-wide regional force.

A previous county council meeting indicated that while the six other local municipalities have sympathy for the situation Amherstburg is facing, they are not willing to forgo the services they currently have in place.

Kingsville, Lakeshore, Leamington, Essex and Tecumseh all have contracts with the Ontario Provincial Police while LaSalle has its own municipal force.

Amherstburg’s contract with Windsor Police expires December 31, 2028.

At a previous county council session, Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy brought forth a motion to have administration look into the cost of hiring a consultant who could bring back a report on the costing of a possible regional police force.

Last week’s meeting saw Bondy change her mind.

“I will not be supporting this motion but we have had a healthy conversation here and Essex town council had a healthy conversation.”

Bondy added that regional policing may be something to look at in the future, but now.

“I want to say how disappointed I am that the mover (Bondy) is not supporting her own motion,” said Prue.

Amherstburg town council continues to wrestle with how they will be policed in 2029 and have directed its administration to explore various options including – renegotiating with Windsor, OPP, LaSalle and perhaps even reestablishing its own municipal force.

Prue, a former Member of Provincial Parliament, did acknowledge a report received from county administration that seemed to support his position.

“The staff very kindly sent us a study from 1997 signed by (former provincial minister) Bob Runciman and the report clearly says that the best way for Essex County going forward was having the OPP run the various departments,” said Prue.

Prue said that not a lot has changed since then and that going forward, the county might want to review that report for future reference.

County ends regional policing debate

By Fred Groves