Fantino sending 50 new OPP officers to Haldimand

By KATIE DAWSON
The Sachem

On Tuesday, January 9 OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino met with Haldimand County Council and the Caledonia Rotary Club. He announced the Ontario Government will be giving more that $20 million to help with the costs from the Caledonia land dispute and sending 50 new recruits.

Fantino has been to Caledonia five times and has visited the Douglas Creek Estates land dispute site.

He says he has been here to get to know the people and the typography.

"When someone talks about a road I want to be able to visualize it," Fantino told the Sachem. When Fantino took over the OPP Commissioner job from Gwen Bonifice, he says he knew little more about the Caledonia situation then what he had read.

"I took over the job on October 30 and came to Caledonia the next day," he says. After being in Caledonia he decided that some permanency had to found. "Officers were doing their jobs, but it was too expensive and the impact was being felt across the province." Fantino went all the way to the provincial cabinet to ask for funding to bring in permanent officers to Caledonia. This was granted and on January 8 already seven new recruits were posted at the Haldimand County OPP Cayuga detachment. "We are pairing our new recruits with experienced officers."

In total, 50 new OPP recruits will be posted in Caledonia permanently. "This is a big plus for the community." None of the cost for doing this, including the expansion of the Cayuga Detachment, will be felt by Haldimand County taxpayers.

"This is not a clawback on the community. The provincial tax dollars will be there as long as the situation is ongoing." Fantino says that when the dispute is solved, the Haldimand County OPP will go back to its normal policy and the recruits who want to will be transferred. Fantino says he learned during his visit on Tuesday that there is a lot of good will, concerns and that the people of Caledonia are craving a solution.

"There is a level of frustration, but there is a lot of support for the OPP." He says challenges, such as individuals coming in and inflaming the situation to potential violence is counterproductive. "Every time there is a hiccup it is felt at the negotiating table." Fantino says the biggest misconception that people have about the OPP is that they are two-tiered. He says that when it comes to the Criminal Code of Canada, we are all subject to the same laws. "We have arrested people on both sides."

When it comes to raising flags, Fantino says it is legal to put up a flag on public property. "From what I was told the Supreme Court says it is legal." He also says it is a misconception that the OPP can solve the situation. "We are here to keep the peace and allow those with the responsibility to solve this to resolve the issues." For him the Sixth Line is a major item to be dealt with. "I feel for them, I am concerned. We have in place the best response we can give them right now, which is not satisfactory."

Fantino says the OPP will respond to 911 calls for residents on Sixth Line. Fantino's message for the day was to have faith in the OPP and support the OPP. "Give some credit to our men and women and at the end of the day put the blame where it belongs."