July 29 2010
Open letter to Ontario from OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino
ORILLIA, ON, July 29 /CNW/ - As my term as Commissioner of the OntarioWhen I accepted the responsibility for leading one of North America's
largest deployed police services on October 30, 2006, my goals included
ensuring the highways and the 316 communities for which the OPP is the police
service of jurisdiction were safe for residents and visitors alike.
I've been always mindful that to achieve success, police need to
establish mutually-beneficial partnerships with people in communities across
this province. Our people on the front lines have developed and enhanced
those relationships by working with members of police service boards,
business and community leaders, and service organizations. We don't police
the community - we police with the community.
As a result, the OPP is regarded as a benchmark police service by taking
an intelligence-led approach to organized crime enforcement - drugs, weapons,
contraband smuggling, and outlaw motorcycle gangs - and by finding
hate-mongers and child abusers on the internet and bringing them to justice.
Our highly visible and award-winning Provincial Traffic Safety Program
has engineered a significant reduction in the number of deaths and injuries
associated with collisions.
Our members have also worked diligently, through the use of technology
and good old-fashioned police work to solve historic homicides, identify
missing loved ones, and address electronic crimes. These complex
investigations are the result of collaborative partnerships with the
community, municipal, federal and international law enforcement agencies that
have a shared goal of public safety.
The OPP played a large role in the coordination and successful execution
of a major security effort - the G8/G20 Summits. We were also heartened and
inspired by the welcome and best wishes received in communities across
Ontario during the celebration of the OPP's 100th Anniversary in 2009.
I firmly believe you can't lead without having great people behind you -
after all, they do the work. I am confidently passing the torch of leadership
to Deputy Commissioner Chris Lewis, for whom I have great respect and
admiration, as the next OPP Commissioner.
It has been a great honour and privilege - and the highlight of my
40-plus years in public service - to lead the dedicated members of such a
fine organization and to serve the people of Ontario.
Yours truly,
Julian Fantino