Province adds 80 spaces at the Ontario Police College: priority for smaller forces
The province is boosting enrollment in Basic Constable Training at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer by 80 recruits per year.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner made announcement Wednesday while speaking to a group of police chiefs outside the institution.
“This will bring much needed relief to police services across the province,” said Kerzner.
The addition brings the number of new officers trained per year to 2,080.
Small, medium-sized, and First Nation police services will be given priority for the new officers.
Aylmer Deputy Police Chief Kyle Johnstone said that the additional recruits will help address staffing challenges.
“Staffing shortages are one of the foremost operational issues at play today. The shortages in any police service are problematic. However, in smaller services the vacancies are felt exponentially,” said Deputy Chief Johnstone.
The president of the Police Association of Ontario, Mark Baxter, said police forces are only just keeping up with retirements, but that leaves no room for expansion.
“We’re trying to increase the size of our police services,” he explained. “So not only are we having to replace the folks that are retiring, but we’re trying to add more complement to the police services. So, any spot that we can get is going to help,” said Baxter.
St. Thomas Police Chief Marc Roskamp says the boost in fully trained and street-ready recruits comes at a time when his community is poised for major growth.
“Therefore, we need to match that with police resources and make sure we push down those crime severity indexes and the violent crime that we’re seeing happen,” said Chief Roskamp.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner speaks at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer Wednesday, Elgin Middlesex London MPP Rob Flack is pictured to his left
The announcement does not directly impact larger police forces like the London Police Service, but London Police Chief Thai Truong pointed out “crime has no borders, and criminals do not have jurisdictional boundaries.” He went on to say that when staffing challenges are addressed it improves safety for all.
“If smaller services, for example St. Thomas, is not staffed accordingly, or Woodstock is not staffed accordingly there’s impact for all police services and communities,” said Chief Truong.
When asked, the Solicitor General was not able to provide a cost for the 80 additional spaces at the college, stating only that it’s tied to a number of other crime prevention programs funded by the province.
In an effort to boost recruitment, last year the province eliminated the tuition fee for the Basic Constable Training program, saving recruits as much as $17,000. It also lowered the education requirements to become a police officer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'There is no electricity': Canadian travellers in Cuba urge caution in hurricane's wake
Cuba's power grid was knocked out by Hurricane Rafael, which ripped across the country as a Category 3 storm. In western Cuba, it toppled buildings and pushed 50,000 people to find shelter elsewhere. Cubans were already enduring rolling blackouts due to energy shortages.
Sparks fly as MPs question minister on pension implications of proposed election date change
Sparks flew at a parliamentary committee Thursday as MPs questioned Canada's democratic institutions minister about a widely opposed provision in electoral reform legislation that seeks to delay the next fixed election date by one week.
Three charged in One Direction singer Liam Payne's death
Three people have been charged in relation to One Direction singer Liam Payne's death in a fall from his Buenos Aires hotel balcony last month, Argentine authorities said on Thursday.
RCMP already 'on high alert' for potential wave of migrants after Trump election
Canada's federal police force has been preparing for months on a contingency plan for a potential massive influx of migrants across the border following Trump's promise of 'mass deportations' of millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
America votes: How celebrities are reacting to Trump's decisive victory
Celebrities from Hulk Hogan to Ariana Grande are sharing their reactions to the U.S. election, which will see Donald Trump return to the White House.
Canadian arrested in Florida for allegedly possessing child sex abuse content
A 25-year-old Canadian man was arrested in Florida last weekend after police say he was caught with child sex abuse content.
3 Winnipeg police officers charged with breach of trust, theft
Three members of the Winnipeg Police Service have been charged with breach of trust, obstruction of justice and theft following a lengthy investigation
Biden faces doubts over his legacy as he prepares to hand over power to the man he called a threat to democracy
U.S. President Joe Biden delivered remarks to the nation Thursday in what was his first appearance on camera following Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Kamala Harris.
Reporter accused of being Russian spy tells MPs they fell for disinformation
David Pugliese told the House of Commons security committee today he found it astonishing that none of the MPs on the committee challenged the allegations that he was a spy.