A reduction in charges under the Provincial Offences Act (POA) has resulted in lower-than-anticipated revenues for the local OPP detachment.
Inspector Scott Lawson, in a report to the Wellington County Police Services Board, advised that POA revenues have been lower for the OPP province-wide recently.
“Police resources continue to focus, through analysis, on specific areas of concern or hot spots, which lends to a more intelligence-led, targeted approach to traffic and public safety,” Lawson explained in his report.
Overall charges laid were down approximately 10 per cent but so is property damage, injuries and fatal collisions to date in 2015. Contributing to the lower number of POA charges was the deployment of officers, including some traffic team members, to the PanAm Games in Toronto this past summer.
“Provincial Offences Act revenue is down; there are good, solid reasons for that,” noted councillor Lynda White, Wellington County council representative to the police services board, at the Sept. 24 council meeting.
ATV road rules
Wellington County council discussed changing its bylaws, at least in the northern portion of the county, to facilitate ATV use on local roads.
Rules regarding use of ATVs on public roads have not changed, but now encompass more types of ATVs and off-road vehicles, Lawson explained.
Provincial laws will allow more types of off-road vehicles and all-terrain vehicles, including “two-up” ATVs and side-by-side ATVs, to use the shoulder of public roads.
However, Lawson explained, it’s up to the county and its member municipalities to make “decisions as to whether to allow these types of vehicles on the road.”
Councillor Gary Williamson, a Wellington North resident, noted there is some confusion in the northern municipalities in the county as to why ATV use on roadways is allowed in neighbouring Grey County.
“The mayors form the northern municipalities (Wellington North, Minto and Mapleton) might want to get together to discuss the idea,” of allowing ATVs to use local roadways, Williamson suggested.
“It’s a local-tier decision,” agreed Warden George Bridge, mayor of Minto.
Councillor Andy Lennox, mayor of Wellington North, noted the county might need to change its bylaws to allow ATV usage on county roads in the north.
Williamson confirmed the county could have different ATV rules for the north than in the rest of the county.
However, councillor Gregg Davidson pointed out OPP traffic unit Sergeant Rob Nixon advised the police services board he feels, “it would be advantageous,” if county municipalities “all had the same idea in place.”
New wheels for officers
Some Wellington OPP officers will soon be getting new wheels to help them get around the county.
At the meeting, county council approved a police services board recommendation to spend up to $15,000 to purchase six bicycles and related equipment that meet the OPP standards and specifications for the Wellington County OPP Community Bicycle Program.
“It’s a great program for the environment and for the officers and it’s great for the people for the officers to get out there in the community, said White.
