Countywide OPP detachment board holds initial meeting
Even though it's still waiting for two appointees from the province, the newly amalgamated Perth County OPP detachment board held its first meeting Sept. 10.
The board and the citizen representatives from West Perth, North Perth and Perth East met at the Monkton station of the North Perth fire department to go over a code of conduct, terms of reference, insurance, training requirements and a draft budget.
North Perth Mayor Todd Kasenberg was voted as chair while Perth East Coun. Jerry Smith was named the vice-chair. West Perth Coun. Steve Herold is also on the new countywide board
Once two provincial appointees are named, they will join community representatives Becky Belfour of West Perth; Juanita Kerr of North Perth and Matthew Livingstone of Perth East.
Five years ago, in March 2019, the province passed the Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act, 2019 (or Bill 68) and established the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA). In July 2021, West Perth council supported a joint submission to the minister of the solicitor general for a Perth detachment board.
The Perth County OPP detachment provides policing to the three municipalities, but both North Perth and West Perth have OPP contracts and previously had their own police service boards until the end of March 2024. Both North Perth and West Perth have their own dedicated sergeants and their own office in Listowel and Mitchell, respectively. Perth East does not have a contract for OPP services and therefore falls under Section 5.1, agreements for additional services.
West Perth has had its own police services board since the municipality disbanded its own police force in the Town of Mitchell and joined the OPP in September 1996.
Meetings will be held on a bi-monthly basis once officially operational, with the next meeting scheduled for Oct. 8. All meetings are open to the public.