Another OPP "Top Cop"?

It was announced, on January 17, 2007, that Haldimand County has a new "Top Cop" -- Haldimand OPP Detachment Commander Dave McLean.

Hmmm... I don't know what to think regarding this news -- good, or bad? I know I was initially pleased when Julian Fantino replaced Gwen Boniface as the OPP "Top Brass" -- but that didn't last long It only took a couple of weeks to realize that Fantino talks a lot of hot air -- most of the time speaking from the wrong orifice.

So, we have a new "Top Cop", six Sergeants and 50 Field Officers coming to Haldimand. Each officer costs the county approximately $110,000 per year, including wages and expenses. 5.5 million dollars additionally per year, not including the new brass.

The problem, as I see it, is not the amount of officers present in Haldimand, but rather the lack of policing by the OPP. What difference does it make if we have 50 officers standing on Argyle St., or 100 officers if none of them actually uphold the law as they have sworn to do when they became Police Officers? Heck, 10 good cops could restore Law & Order to Haldimand, if only the OPP Brass would let them.

Caledonia Councillor Craig Grice;

Grice said residents fear Caledonia will turn into Ipperwash.

...

"I don't need more policing, Grice said without a doubt, I need actual policing," he said.

"I for one do not agree with Mr. Fantino on a lot of his comments and unfortunately when he came to Council he restricted himself to private and confidential," Grice told The Regional News. "I am very disappointed as I asked for the meeting and desired it all to be public. I was the only Councillor to vote against going in-camera. Though I cannot go into exact detail through confidentiality constraints, it's obvious that the Province and the Commissioner are truly missing the point that residents have no faith, trust or respect for the O.P.P. I will continue to drive the point home that we as residents currently do not feel secure in our own backyards through the O.P.P.'s own actions or inactions."