Police to issue bills if checks uncollected

It’s one thing to provide free police checks for groups that need volunteers, but it is quite another to pay for checks that nobody bothers to pick up.

County council approved a Police Services Board recommendation on May 24 that the OPP prepare a generic letter for the OPP to provide to agencies that request mass checks for criminal records and advise them there will be fees applied if that work is not picked up.

Board chairman Lynda White explained the county decided some years ago to forego fees for volunteer checks so as not to discourage volunteer wanting to work for charitable and service groups.

But the cost adds up if the checks are done and stay uncollected.

“There’s been quite a few left since school started,” White told council.

She added such work “costs our officers a lot of time.

Councillor agreed and approved the recommendation.