By Karen Best
Sunday, January 28, 2007 - 09:00
Local News - Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police officers spent less time on foot patrol and issuing speeding tickets because of the Caledonia land dispute. During the tensest months, traffic complaints skyrocketed and mischief complaints increased.
At a recent county police services board meeting, Inspector Dave McLean said calls for service in Caledonia increased by 606 over 2005 statistics. “It’s no surprise,” he said. “We have been documenting any reported incidents and are tracking this.”
In May, calls rose by 147 and, in June, calls were up by 161.
When board chair Bill Keenan asked if the increase was related to Douglas Creek Estates, McLean said all incidents in Caledonia are entered into the OPP database. Last year calls for service increased by 193 overall in the county but the total number of incidents went down by 231, he said.
After Mayor Marie Trainer said calls related to the provincial incident must be separated, McLean said that was a good point that needed to be looked into.
According to county officials, any police response to DCE is considered an expense paid by the provincial taxpayer.
“Clearly there’s a lot of discussion in separation of duties for DCE and Haldimand County,” said Keenan.
Reports of mischief increased significantly between April and October, said McLean. He said it was hard to say whether the increase was related to DCE. When police receive a call for mischief - real or perceived - an occurrence number is generated, he said. It could be a matter of lights shining in a house but it’s done when cops get there, he said. “We don’t know if it’s true,” he said. Some calls for mischief were unfounded and some were “unreportable”, said McLean.
Several Caledonia residents have reported vehicle lights beaming from DCE into their house windows.
During the peak periods of DCE, assault reports almost doubled in April and May. The increase could be attributed to Caledonia, said the inspector. He categorically attributed the traffic complaint increase of 407 to Caledonia, especially when the barricades were up on Argyle Street South and the Highway 6 bypass.
This year the inspector said officers will spend more time walking the beat. “Foot patrols are the back bone to basic policing,” he said. In 2006, the number of hours plummeted by 528 with marked decreases in Dunnville, Caledonia, and Cayuga spanning March to October. In Dunnville, police spent 215 fewer hours on the street and in Caledonia patrols by local officers were down by 184 hours.
Victim Services of Haldimand Norfolk are doing a fantastic job but their resources are strapped, said McLean. Volunteers with the group, which deals with short term needs of persons requiring victim intervention, are also making more calls in Caledonia, he said.
OPP youth liaison Constable Hal Brown reported that relations between native and non-native students are very good at McKinnon Park Secondary School in Caledonia, said the inspector. He was pleased that the issues at DCE are not reflected in the schools.
Proactive enforcement especially radar patrols dropped off because officers of Haldimand were focussed elsewhere, said McLean. OPP statistics show decreases in every month from April to October. In total, 262 fewer speeding tickets were issued. With the fragile peace now in place in Caledonia, he said policing can get back to normal in the community.
Trainer said some county residents ask why police issue tickets when officers are not enforcing the law.
Officers assigned to the Caledonia reclamation are stopping and arresting people for traffic violations, said McLean. “If a ticket is warranted, then a ticket is laid,” he said.
While discussing statistical changes, the inspector said the 119 increase in domestic assaults was the result of a broader policy that captures all incidents. OPP are also working with the community to make sure victims of domestic violence have the information and support they need, he said.
McLean said education campaigns are successfully giving the message that domestic violence is not acceptable and more affected family members are coming forward.
At one time, domestic violence was viewed as something that happened behind closed doors, he said. “It has to come out of closed doors to police and agencies so people can be treated,” said McLean.