poll

Given OCCPS recommends five additional officers bringing the OPP quote closer to the KPS quote, should council be revisiting their decision?
No	100	42%
Yes	136	58%
Total Votes: 236

Linda ( December 24, 2008)
The policing process has been flawed from the very beginning. Our Mayor is a retired lawyer, who quite simply is afraid of Liablity. He will pass that liability on to the OPP at any cost. He and McCann rule with a heavy hand. It's all about power. They forget they are here to serve the people and not just the important ones and certainly not themselves. Unfortunately, they are leaving in their wake a bunch of dead services... telephone, policing and before you know it, hydro. Look at our streets, they're a joke. These are costly and irreversible decisions. This council has to be stopped... before anymore damage is done. We NEED to start over right from scratch with policing. We certainly do not need to jump into decision-making THIS IMPORTANT so that McCann, who had made up his mind prior to being elected that the KPS had to go and so that Compton who wants to be remembered as the Mayor who made all the tough decisions, no matter how poorly, can have their wishes come true. McCann is a tainted juror & needs to be replaced so the KPS can get a fair trial. Compton isn't much better obviously, by choosing the retired OPP service to serve as the judge in this case, he too had his mind made up. Toss them both out & start over. Lets give KPS the fair and just trial that they deserve.

Doug ( December 23, 2008)
I can't believe how uninformed many people are concerning this issue. The newspapers should take alot of credit for this. Not only will the OPP provide better policing at a greatly reduced cost, now also add in the the huge savings with the OPP doing the 911 and firecalls . I believe if the Free Press covered this issue the public would be better informed and better served.

Harry ( December 23, 2008)
Have noted a number of comments that the OPP have access to more resources than the KPS. I'm under the impression that if the KPS needs to borrow, for example, an OPP helicopter, the charge for that would be absorbed by the OPP and the city wouldn't pay. If, however, the OPP are our police force and the helicopter is used, then Kenora has to pay for it. If I'm wrong, would someone from the KPS or OPP please correct me. Would also like to add that KPS officers receive the same training as OPP officers (at the same facility). I don't know why people are so enthralled by OPP resources when it wasn't long ago we were reading in the paper that their resources and people-power are stretched to the limits. Call me stupid but I like the idea of a police force that's dedicated to policing Kenora 100% of the time and that won't be pulling officers to send them to trouble spots elsewhere in the province. Oh yeah, did you know that someplace in southern Ontario the city was told by Fantino that they would need to take on an additional number of officers for the summer months. I forget how many it was but it was non-negotiable. They had to pay the salaries of those officers. They were given no choice. We're a city where the population increases in summer. They could do that here and we'd have to pay. I have to laugh at the naivity of people who think we're going to be better off with the OPP. It's not that I dislike the OPP. They could police Kenora effectively but if we're talking finances (which is what the council originally touted as their be all and end all) going OPP makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Of course now that council realizes citizens know the numbers don't add up they'll come up with some other reason for their choice. And no matter what it is, having watched these people perform, I know it won't in any way resemble the truth.

Graham ( December 23, 2008)
With regard to the special council meeting yesterday I wouldn't have known about it if not phoned by someone since I don't have a radio. Yet apparently a great many OPP knew about it including Rod Case who was able to fly here from southern Ontario in plenty of time. Hmmm! Comments such as there was no groundswell of citizen support, usual names made deputations with predictable content, etc., make me sad because people saying that have bought into the evil cabal's story line. They don't realize that they've been duped. They'll know it a few years when the next council has to raise our taxes by a huge amount. Too late then to complain. What actually happened at the meeting was that people were yelling and screaming because of the disdain shown to them by the mayor and certain members of council. We had a mayor who didn't even pretend to listen to the deputations and a councillor who couldn't lift his head because then he would have had to look into the faces of the people he betrayed. I don't think the other two even realize they're being manipulated. People would have sweated over their deputations trying to find the right words. Many would be people uncomfortable with public speaking. Normally, even the worst of politicians would have made a pretence of listening. But not our arrogant bunch. They wanted the people to know without a doubt that their opinions meant nothing. Winston Churchill could have spoken to them with the most eloquent speech of his life and our mayor would have smirked, pounded his gavel and said "time's up". When you look at world history so many dictators got into power by being elected democratically and then using their power to take away the rights of the people. This is happening here. When the OPP take over in June that's not going to be a problem. The problem will be that come June we'll still be being governed by this scary bunch and I can't help but wonder what other lousy plans they have up their sleeves. Democracy has been on life-support here for awhile but on Dec. 22 it died.

TO... still not being fooled... ( December 23, 2008)
Thanks for the post-mortem report. Democracy is dead.

Why The Rush ( December 23, 2008)
This is the question most the presenters at the meeting were asking. Well if they had taken the time to read the OCCOPS decision dated Dec.18th.2008 it would have become quite evident. On page 20 of the OCCOPS report it reads: In conclusion, subject to the conditions and directions set out below, we approve the City's request under section 40 of the Act for consent to abolish the Service to permit policing under contract with the OPP. This allows us to consent to the termination of all current members of the Service.
Our consent is subject to the following conditions:
3. The OPP shall provide uniform members of the Service with applications for transfer within 30 days of the date of this decision and complete the processing the applications of those seeking employment within 75 days.
4. The OPP establish a process for filing the six civilian vacancies and advise eligible candidates of the procedure to be followed within 60 days of the date of this decision.
Further, we direct:
1. The Board to enter into good faith severence negotiations with the Chief and Deputy Chief. If no agreement is reached within 60 days of this decision, then we order that any unresolved maters are to proceed forthwith to arbitration.
2. The Board enter into good faith negotiations with the Association to resolve any outstanding pension issues that might arise for transferred employees. If no agreement is reached within 60 days of this decision, then we order that any unresolved matters are to proceed forthwith to arbitration.
3. The Board forthwith provide City Council and the OPP with any information requested to facilitate the orderly disbandment of the Service and to ensure that the terms and conditions of this decision are met in a timely manner.
4. The Board provide the Commission with a written report within 60 days of this decision outlining the steps that it has taken to comply with the conditions and directions set out above.
The City had to pass it's by-law in order that the above could proceed. Nowhere in the OCCOPS report did it give the City 60 days to reconsider the decision it made earlier in the year. The decision was made at that time.
One may argue this point but in the meantime what are the employees going to do? Thair future is determined by the deadlines in the report. If they wait the 60 days, they will be past the 30 day deadline to apply for transfer. Now I know the OPP must provide the applications within 30 days but this will be done much sooner in order to get the processing done within 75 days.
This desperate request for delay may cost their chance for transfer were they to delay getting the applications in early. They may then find that none of them have a job. Start thinking of the employees welfare and not your own desires.

( December 23, 2008)
For those that were not at the Dec.22 meeting and did not receive Bill P's "Financial Impact" report justifying Council's decision, here are some of the words contained in the report "actual cost per officer is still to be confirmed", "revised cost estimates are based on certain assumptions", "precise police costs will require additional analysis by Treasury staff". Sounds to me like the City has no clue what the actual cost of OPP policing will be and they do not care to find out. I guess we citizens will find out at tax time!!!

OLI ( December 23, 2008)
I find it hard to believe that two former Mayors of the Town of Kenora would behave in such a fashion at Monday's Council meeting. One hooting and yelling like a baboon, the other making a deputation that personally attacked a loyal and dedicated councillor who has served this community for over 12 years with distinction. Shame on both of you. If anybody should have know better it should have been you two.
As for the Chief of Police's deputations, he had a point to make for his service and staff which is expected. However, to speak for the Police Services Board is a little or alot over the line.
It is obvious now why the Board cannot make a decision on their own and taking the actions they are. The Chief of Police is controlling the Board. The Board doesn't challenge him so he thinks he is the Board.
The Police Services Board doesn't have the courage required to speak for themselves. It would be interesting to see who the Board's lawyer talks to when he phones Kenora, the Chief of Police or the Board Chairperson. I think you know the answer.
The lack of independant action by this dysfunctional Police Services Board is clear and why Mr. Chitra of OCCPS wrote " The Existing Board would be replaced."
Lets move forward, Council has made the decision.

Lets talk democracy ( December 23, 2008)
"Being fooled" provides a sign of things to come. I feel for the Officers on the road when this goes through as they will be vilified regardless of the work they do. If "being fooled" had actually been there, he would know that of the 25-30 OPP officers who were there, 4 were in uniform; the detachment commander, the admin Sgt, a Shift Sgt and the community services officer. All had legitimate reasons to be there. They certainly couldn't rely on the reports from the local media for accuracy. Most of the rest were retired members and those on their own time. Again, all the OPP officers there exhibited their usual professionalism and respectfully listened to the proceedings without attempting to counter the usual 6-7 speakers' self-serving inaccuracies. What should have been of particular democratic concern was the current Chief directly addressing council members and openly trying to influence their vote. It is fundamentally wrong for the commander of any police force, in uniform on or off duty, to directly try and influence the outcome of an elected body's vote......... especially when he has a direct personal interest in the outcome. Something you won't see our local crackerjack "investigative reporters" touch. All the financial mumbo-jumbo aside, perhaps the most important reason to turn the policing over to the OPP is to separate the police from local politics. Similar actions by the local OPP detachment commander would likely have led to his firing. Let it go already. This is the right decision for more reasons than what get's reported to the public.

Hockey dad ( December 22, 2008)
Well maybe you want to blame it on the press but I don't think that McCann helped his cause any when he slammed the door in the face of the reporters that were trying to ask him questions. The guy is a jerk....plain and simple and had a thought in his mind to get rid of the KPS at any price. I don't care who you are....no one will ever make me think any different.

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