Councillors here believe it might be time to put the Wellington County OPP Mounted Unit out to pasture.
Though no one really opposes the horse patrols in general, the item came back-to-back with a request for Minto to sponsor a mountain bike for the Palmerston operations centre.
As a result, council received two reports from Clerk-Administrator Marsha Paley – one on the bike sponsorship, and the other to get its opinion on the Mounted Unit.
Council agreed to sponsor up to $125 toward the purchase of a mountain bike for use in Minto, in the creation of the Wellington OPP’s?first bike patrol for the Palmerston detachment. Further, council directed the clerk to send letters to community groups and businesses seeking contributions to pay for the rest of the bike.
Paley noted that discussions about community policing held earlier this year with Wellington OPP?detachment Inspector Scott Smith indicated that a bike patrol in the town might be advantageous.
“Inspector [Scott] Smith noted there was a willingness on behalf of the OPP?detachment to provide a bike patrol, however no funds were currently available,” she reported.
The cost for a specially equipped 21-speed police bike was estimated at $820 and it comes with dual lighting systems, saddlebags, and heavy duty spring and shock systems.
The county OPP?currently has two bikes operating in the county – donated by the Erin Lions Club.
Paley wrote “having a bike patrol in the Town of Minto would be useful for negotiating our parks and our 27 kilometres of trails. Their maneuverability enables officers to quickly move through the streets. They have also been found to be great tension breakers as any dialogue with residents is unimpeded by any physical or psychological barrier sometimes associated with marked police vehicles.”
She noted that the town could maintain ownership or the bike could be donated directly to the OPP. If additional funds are raised, Paley said they could be directed to the OPP?for helmets, a bike rack, or a second bike.
Mayor David Anderson considered the bike motion interesting, considering the municipality’s involvement in Communities In Motion and initiatives in creating more active communities.
He said Inspector Smith indicated there were cases which could prove significant if officers could bike up on people because it is more quiet and bikes can gain access to areas that cars cannot.
However, Councillor Barbara Burrows offered words of caution, even though she likes the idea. She noted that several years ago, Palmerston council had considered the option of bike patrols. “I don’t know if it even lasted a complete summer.”
As a result, she questions how long this particular initiative would last.
Deputy-mayor Judy Dirksen asked if the municipality should simply donate the bike or simply maintain ownership and let the police use it.
Anderson said residents would like to see police presence in the municipalities and bicycles could assist in that.
Councillor David Turton asked if it meant the bike would be rotated among the communities of Minto.
Anderson said he believes it is just one idea the detachment is looking into.
While councillors agreed to sponsor up to $125 towards the purchase of a mountain bike, as a follow up, they agreed with the clerk’s second report, which recommended continuing using the horse patrol program for education, public and special events – until such time as the Wellington County Police Services Board is able to undertake a feasibility study to evaluation the program’s costs and benefits.
Paley’s report on the Mounted Unit noted that in 2001, the county Police Services Board recommended the purchase of two horses for a horse patrol in the northern portion of the county. At the time, she said, it was believed a horse patrol would be useful, given the rural nature of the northern municipalities.
Since then, the horses the police use in various programs are considered favoured members of the county’s police services by all residents.
During the summer, the horses are on patrol four to five days a week. For the remainder of the year, they are on patrol two hours a day or are otherwise in training. There are six police officers who have been trained to ride the horses. The annual budget for the horses is around $7,000.
She said Inspector Smith is seeking to determine the town’s and the community’s feelings on continuing the horse patrol program.
She said many police services have mounted patrols. “The mounted officers are considered invaluable in situations involving large crowds, serving both as a deterrent and as an observation platform.”
She added those patrols are used within the parks and bike trails especially in areas with limited vehicle access, and may be useful in crime suppression and traffic enforcement.
Officers and their horses must undergo numerous hours of training for their wide range of specialized duties. The horses must function as a law enforcement tool yet be a gentle goodwill ambassador for the police, while still capable of being petted by a small child during special events.
The mounted officers offer an enhanced level of public safety and crime suppression and prevention, especially in areas where a more conventional police presence would be less effective.
But, according to Smith some challenges exist.
The first is the condition of the existing horse trailer which needs to be replaced. That cost is around $25,000. The next challenge is finding officers interested in riding the horses.
Next, there are comments that not everyone considers the program a good use of police time or an effective patrol strategy.
Mayor Anderson said one of the things being asked is if councillors think the mounted patrol is viable. He added the police board is now undertaking that study.
The other question being asked, he said, is council’s opinion of how important the horse presence is to the community. He said the horses are used in education, appear in parades, and are used in some patrols.
“They used to come to our municipality and patrol … more for visibility than anything else,” Anderson said. “I don’t think they actually pulled over a car.”
Turton said “I think the horses are beautiful and well looked after … but I’m not sure they add anything to the town.”
He asked where they could go, that a bicycle could not.
Turton said the costs can be substantial to look after a couple of horses.
Anderson said Wellington County is the only OPP detachment of its size with horses.
Dirksen said retired Inspector Steve Walsh was instrumental in creating the Mounted Unit.
She suggested it might have had something to do with housing the horses on his property, then on the 10th line of Minto.
Dirksen said now that he is not doing that anymore, it might be one of the reasons the unit is being reviewed.
She, too, believes the horses look good in parades and are a good public relations tool, but she suspects the budget of $7,000 is only part of the costs.
Hembly suggested if the issue is that important, then perhaps someone from the board or the OPP?should speak to council directly about it.
“I’m not sure they [all] think it is,” Dirksen said.
Councillor Tammy Reiner believed an officer on a bike would be much more approachable.
Other members of council also believed bicycles might be more appropriate.
Anderson agreed the items might be looked hand-in-hand, with discussion of establishing a bike patrol, while looking into the cost of horses.
Councillor Rick Hembly agreed with Reiner’s preference for the bikes.
Anderson said his addition to council’s motion was that a bike patrol might be better used and more fiscally responsible.
