It’s not so much an issue of how much, but when.
Inspector Scott Smith, Wellington County OPP Detachment Commander, recently wrote to members of Wellington North council in response to council’s request for information on foot patrol hours throughout the township.
Smith wrote that so far in 2009 there were almost 1,101 hours of foot patrol, of which 524 were in Arthur, 489 in Mount Forest and the rest in other parts of the township.
Smith wrote, “ Foot patrol is an important part of policing. Not only does it prevent crime, but it allows for greater and easier interaction between the police and the community.”
He explained foot patrols are conducted “as operational needs commit. I will certainly re-affirm with detachment personnel the importance of foot patrol and the desire of Wellington North to see more.”
Mayor Mike Broomhead said Smith’s letter was in response to concerns by councillor Dan Yake at an earlier meeting. Yake however, was not entirely pleased with the information.
“I can’t really dispute the number of hours,” he said. “I’m sure they keep track. But I guess it seems like a lot of hours. My concern is that I really wanted to know when these hours took place. Are these hours at midnight, or at noon?”
Yake believes for the hours to be effective, they needed to be done at the proper times.
“The issue that brought it up was in regards to skateboards and bicycles. My feeling is that in the summertime, when there is lots of bikes and people out walking … are they patrolling at the right time of the day?”
The information before him did not explain that, Yake added. He agreed everyone has seen officers late at night up and down the street checking doors.
“Is that a foot patrol, or is it at 7pm when there’s lots of people out walking the streets and people, where officers can interact with those people and skateboarders?”
Broomhead said the hours average out to about 12 a week in Wellington North. He forwarded a request asking for a better breakdown. He, too, had thought the response would be slightly more detailed.
Yake said the municipality has had concerns with skateboarders on the main streets, and work is being done to prepare a bylaw.
“The presence of police when these things are going on, should help deter it,” he said, adding he is just looking for the “right number of hours at the right times.”
Councillor Ross Chaulk asked what exactly is the definition of a foot patrol. He wondered if it includes attendance at the Mount Forest Fireworks Festival and parades.
“Are those classified as foot patrols?” That would add up to a few hours right there, Chaulk said. Broomhead at that point suggested inviting representatives of the OPP and the Wellington County Police Services Board to meet directly with council.
He said it is not just for a clarification of the hours, but he was sensing a reluctance of the police services board to have a county-wide bylaw regarding bicycles and skateboards. That comment generated more questions.
“Now it concerns me in that we thought things were moving along with that bylaw; now there’s concerns with it,” Yake said. “Where do we go from here? Somebody’s going to get hurt.”
