One town's fight with OPP...

Source:SHAWN JEFFORDS, THE OBSERVER

At times Jamie Hahn wondered last year if the Ontario Provincial Police was trying to bankrupt his town.

The mayor of St. Marys, Ont. could hardly believe it when the provincial service asked for a 38% budget increase for 2010, he said.

"We thought the increase was unreasonable and outrageous," Hahn told the The Observer.


St. Marys, a town of 6,400 near Stratford, disbanded it's municipal police service 15 years ago. It was an acrimonious process, but the move was made to save local taxpayers money, said Hahn, a 29-year council veteran.

And for the first two contracts, policing was good and the costs were stable, Hahn said.

"(Then OPP Commissioner Julian) Fantino took a hardline and that was that. The issue really caught fire here and we decided to become quite activist."

The OPP insisted the detachment needed an additional constable to meet minimum adequacy standards, driving up the total cost.

But Hahn said the numbers didn't add up. Inflation was low, the budget for vehicle maintenance and fuel was down, and the number of calls for police assistance had declined.

Hahn said the OPP appeared to believe St. Marys council and it police service board were "captive," with no other option but to absorb the increase and pass it on to taxpayers.

So the town examined the possibility of recreating its municipal police force. And it looked into some kind of partnership with the Stratford Police Service.

"I was born at night, but I wasn't born yesterday night," Hahn said. "I'd be tarred and feathered if we didn't look at alternatives."

Eventually, the town concluded it would cost $1.6 million to recreate the municipal service and talks with Stratford police broke down.

The town and OPP finally reached a compromise, lowering the police budget increase to 14%.

Hahn believes the OPP wouldn't have budged had the town not explored other options.

"If Rogers Cable came to you and said they were going to increase your bill by 38%, you'd be calling Bell to see what they're offering."

Hahn said until last year the town had good relations with the OPP and residents were happy with the service. Policing costs are rising across the province as the OPP moves to a model of full cost recovery from the municipalities it serves. But the model leaves some paying costs they can't afford, Hahn said.

"We're the customer, you're the contractor. What are you trying to do, bankrupt communities?"

Hahn said if Sarnia does disband its municipal force and switch to the OPP, it should also be prepared for officers to be seconded to other assignments.

A skilled sergeant at the In St. Marys detachment was reassigned to assist in the Banditos bikers investigation in St. Thomas. The officer was gone for months, yet the town was billed for 80 per cent of the officer's wages, he said.

"That didn't seem right. What the hell benefit was it for the town of St. Marys for our sergeant to be at the Banditos trial?

Hahn said he doesn't envy Sarnia council and the decision that lies before it. Despite St. Marys' struggles, he says Sarnia should continue with its OPP costing exercise. And if it makes fiscal sense the city should consider taking the plunge, he said.

"It's a tough decision. I'm sure there are a lot of struggling families in Sarnia. Council has to do what's best of them."

sjeffords@theobserver.ca

In part two Wednesday, reporter Shawn Jeffords explores Leamington's experience with the OPP.

Article ID# 2573169