Councillor Verbeek explained that further to the Solicitor General initiative to amalgamate Police Service Boards in the Province of Ontario the County of Essex Police Service Board made a motion at its May 13, 2021 meeting to amalgamate to a two-board system. Subsequently during the Essex Police Service Board Meeting on May 17, 2021, the two board model was agreed upon which model proposes to divide the six local police service Boards into a “North” and a “South” Police Service Board. The question for Essex Police Service Board at its May 26, 2021 meeting was to recommend for Council which Board Essex should join. At this meeting it was recommended that Essex be placed with the “North” Board and form an amalgamated police Service Board with Lakeshore and Tecumseh opposed to Leamington, Kingsville and Pelee Island.
Councillor Bjorkman asked what the rationale was in making the decision to amalgamate with Lakeshore and Tecumseh.
Councillor Bowman, as a member of the Essex Police Service Board explained that amalgamating with Leamington, Kingsville and Pelee Island could overwhelm Essex. Councillor Bowman further advised that many businesses are on the border between Essex and Lakeshore but further stated that either board ultimately could be be a good fit.
Katie McGuire-Blais, Police Services Board Member, stated that she voted to amalgamate with Lakeshore and Tecumseh due to the fact that Leamington has bigger policing issues that could dominate or overshadow Essex policing concerns.
Councillor Bondy stated that she felt Essex would be a good fit with Kingsville and that Essex shares similar concerns with Leamington such as police presence. She also noted that the Harrow and Colchester Community are geographically closer to Kingsville.
Deputy Mayor Meloche explained that he felt that we have more similarities to Kingsville and that Lakeshore is a very large municipality that is about the size of Kingsville and Essex put together. He noted that if the Police Service Board is recommending that we amalgamate with Lakeshore and Tecumseh he will not object but does think we have more commonality with the Leamington, Kingsville and Pelee Island. Councillor Garon asked the Board Members the positives of amalgamating with Lakeshore and Tecumseh.
Ms. McGuire-Blais noted that our services and OPP officers will remain the same. Only the length and discussions at the meetings will change. She noted that our crime is similar to Lakeshore and Tecumseh.
Richard Tapping, Police Service Board Member, noted that Leamington has double the OPP calls than Essex and officers come from Manning Road or Belle River Road in Ward 1.
Councillor Vander Doelen noted that we share a border with Lakeshore and Tecumseh and Manning Road detachment is in the center of all three. He stated that our issues could be overlooked with those of Leamington.
Councillor Bjorkman noted that he felt this decision should be based on how the boards will work best at the meetings. After listening to the comments he is in favour of amalgamating with Lakeshore and Tecumseh.
Councillor Verbeek noted that regardless of which municipalities we chose to amalgamate with we would continue to act as a whole entity.