West Nipissing has responded to a decision made on Thursday by the West Nipissing Police Services Board regarding policing the community.

The 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.

But West Nipissing Chief Administrative Officer Jay Barbeau says they were consulted before the decision to go with the OPP was made and infact were consulted to the degree that they had to be.

“I respect that the local police board may have thoughts or ideas but infact they really don’t have any jurisdictional responsibility at this point,” Barbeau says.

Chair of the board Barry Bertrand also says they have concerns with the proposed renovation of a small building on the Goulard Park grounds that would be used as a temporary location while a new facility is built.

He says they’ll be advocating the Labour Ministry look into the issue.

But Barbeau says the decision about a temporary location is an operational one.

“Made by the OPP having a site that they feel is acceptable and having vetted that site. And that is really not a concern of the present police board,” he says.

Barbeau says it’s unfortunate that the board hasn’t signed off on the decision to go with the OPP but all that’s needed is a statement that the various employee interests have been protected through the process.

Filed under: Jay Barbeau, West Nipissing