Ahead of an April 1 deadline, the District of Muskoka is preparing to recruit community members to Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Detachment Boards.
The beginning of April is when the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, comes into effect. It replaces the previous version and, according to Ontario’s website, “is an opportunity to modernize policing and enhance community safety in Ontario” which includes mandating the creation of police oversight boards for every detachment in the province.
According to the website, OPP boards are responsible for a handful of things, including monitoring the performance of the detachment commander and consulting with the OPP on its objectives and priorities.
A report by Amy Back, district clerk, and Julie Stevens, chief administrative officer (CAO), was presented to district council on Feb. 20 and recommends the 16-person board for the Bracebridge OPP include:
- One elected official from Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Muskoka Lakes, and Georgian Bay councils
- One community representative from each municipality
- One elected official from the Moose Deer Point and Wahta Mohawks First Nations
- One community representative from each First Nation
- District Chair Jeff Lehman
- Three provincial appointees
The six-person Huntsville OPP board will consist of:
- One elected official from Huntsville and Lake of Bays
- One community representative from each municipality
- District Chair Jeff Lehman
- One provincial appointee
The district will also be part of the 13-person Southern Georgian Bay OPP Detachment Board will include:
- One elected official from Midland, Penetanguishene, Tay, and Tiny
- One community representative from each municipality
- Three provincial appointees
The report also recommends Stevens and the Mayor of the Township of Georgian Bay Peter Koetsier represent the district on the board’s selection panel, which is already underway.
Stevens explained the provincial appointees have yet to be chosen and likely won’t happen until April 1. She also noted the municipal appointees will have to be chosen by the lower-tier municipalities.
“I do expect that it could take a few months to get it really up and running before we have our first meeting,” she said.
Koetsier was the only district councillor who expressed concern with the recommendation.
“I don’t believe the motion here reflects the intention of the communities served by the Southern Bay detachment of the OPP,” he said.
Koetsier suggested there was “very little participation from anyone from the district other than people from the Township of Georgian Bay” and said he thinks it would be “far more efficient” if township staff were involved.
“There’s nothing personal in this whatsoever,” he added.
Stevens responded pointing out the district wasn’t participating in meetings because of a lack of interest.
“The district was not invited to any of the meetings related to the development of any of the memorandums of understanding,” she explained. “We didn’t know it was happening until the final document was finally sent to us.”
Stevens added staff from the township can attend, however, she argued it makes sense for her to be involved with all boards since it will allow the district to ensure things are running smoothly.
Lehman called the situation “unusual” and used Simcoe County as an example. He explained policing in Simcoe is handled by the lower-tier municipalities while in Muskoka the upper-tier, which is the district, handles it. “That’s a bit of an odd legislative decision,” he said, adding “but here we be.”