Insp. Wade Beebe recently had the interim tag removed from his title and has been named the permanent detachment commander for the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Bracebridge.
“Being in Bracebridge has been a privilege and a pleasure,” he says.
Beebe joined the detachment six months ago, leaving his job as the operations manager with the Nottawasaga OPP.
He replaces Insp. Jason Nickle who has joined the OPP at its headquarters in Orillia to help train new recruits.
“Officer presence is going to be enhanced in this detachment,” says Beebe.
He explains that’s part of improved community engagement and may involve officers doing more foot patrols this summer. “Everyone that lives here deserves to feel safe,” he says. Beebe adds seeing a uniformed officer doesn’t need to be a negative thing. An officer may simply stop by the Bracebridge Memorial Arena to watch a game. “I want officers on foot patrol,” says Beebe. “I want them speaking to people. I want them going into businesses to see how they’re doing.”
Part of having a bigger presence also means working with community partners. “Police are not always the solution,” he says.
When speaking with District of Muskoka council in Dec. 2023, Beebe detailed how there has been an 18 percent increase in mental health-related calls in Bracebridge between 2019 and 2023.
He says the Bracebridge detachment recently created a mental health crisis response team in collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Beebe explains an officer is paired with someone from CMHA when responding to certain calls.
He says a response team is also based in Huntsville.
The detachment’s work with CMHA has been ongoing for about a year.
A new partnership will be formed in April when the District of Muskoka establishes its police oversight boards for the Bracebridge and Huntsville OPP.
“My job is then to work with municipal leaders, the police services board, report on specific provincial mandates but also report on things that they want to see within their police service jurisdiction,” explains Beebe.
The boards will be made up of municipal leaders, community members, and provincial appointees.
Beebe says it will be another set of eyes and ears that can provide feedback on what the OPP is doing and what they may need to keep an eye on. “Transparent, open, and fair communication, to me, is key,” he says.
Recently, Beebe says seven new probationary constables joined the detachment, which he believes will only be a boost to his goals of improving community engagement.
“We’re sitting probably better than the Bracebridge detachment has sat in years,” says Beebe.