The West Nipissing Police Services Board says they’ll be contacting the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services to express frustration with not being included in the process of switching the municipal service over to the OPP.

That decision after a board meeting last night.

Chair Barry Bertrand also says they have concerns with the proposed renovation of a small building on the Goulard Park grounds.

“And make this a temporary police station. It’s about 2,500 square feet until they build the new facility. Unfortunately, we have some concerns about this being a proper site for a police location,” he says. “They would have absolutely every right to object to it, and appeal to the Ministry of Labour and everybody else saying ‘sorry, but this place is just unacceptable’. It’s just a block building, not meant for those purposes.”

Bertrand says another option is to use the current building as a temporary location.

He says even though Council has approved a plan to go with the OPP, both the OPP and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission say the board must also sign off, before it can be approved.

Bertrand says the municipality is close to sending in their application to the OCPC involving the OPP Transition.

“The train will leave the station once the Ontario Civilian Police Commission gives their stamp of approval,” Bertrand says.

Under the proposal the OPP would take over in the fall.

 

Filed under: West Nipissing Police Service