Part 2: Prevention, Partnerships, and Public Safety Priorities — 06/26/2023

This article continues the Police Services Board meeting held on June 26, 2023 and focuses on who spoke, how motions were handled, and what direction was confirmed during the meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Rick Phillips, Police Services Board Chair, who guided the agenda, invited presenters to speak, and called each motion forward. Sarah Letersky and Robert Rutter were regularly named as movers and seconders for motions to receive presentations and reports. All motions brought forward during the meeting carried with no recorded opposition.

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Alternatives for Women presentation and board response

Holly Baines, Training and Public Engagement Coordinator with Alternatives for Women, spoke at length about domestic violence and intimate partner violence in the County. She requested stronger automatic referrals from OPP officers when they encounter signs of intimate partner violence, even when it is not the primary reason for the call.

Rick Phillips openly encouraged deeper engagement with the Renfrew Inquest recommendations and suggested that the Community Safety and Wellbeing action teams should lean into those lessons. Inspector John Hatch explained current OPP referral practices and noted challenges around consent and privacy. The board later voted unanimously to receive the deputation, formally acknowledging the presentation.

Provincial Liaison Team presentation

Provincial Constable Wendi Hughes presented on the role of the OPP East Region Provincial Liaison Team. She described how the team supports communication and safety during protests and Indigenous related incidents.

Rick raised questions about public perception and policing equity during large scale protests. Inspector Hatch responded by sharing positive feedback and letters received from outside communities praising the County officers for professionalism. The board voted unanimously to receive the presentation, signaling support for the liaison work.

Police blitzes and revenue discussion

Amanda Carter, Director of Finance and IT, presented data showing a long term decline in ticket revenue since before the pandemic. She asked whether the board wanted regular updates and whether increased enforcement activity was possible.

Inspector John Hatch clearly stated that policing decisions are driven by public safety, not revenue. He explained staffing shortages, reduced traffic officer capacity, and a shift toward warnings and education. Janice Maynard noted that lower revenue could also reflect improved driver behavior. The board voted to receive the discussion, confirming that the information was noted without directing changes to enforcement practices.

Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan update

Julienne Snepsts, Program Supervisor, and Lauri Prest, Plan Facilitator, explained how the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan is being implemented through action teams. Rick questioned how responsibility and funding are shared between the municipality and community agencies. Staff confirmed the municipality plays a coordination and support role while agencies lead on delivery. The update was unanimously received by the board.

Detachment commander report and motions

John Hatch delivered a detailed detachment report covering crime trends, staffing updates, mental health calls, fraud patterns, and community engagement plans. He reported reductions in property crime and mental health related calls, and outlined upcoming initiatives including family focused OPP events. The board voted to receive the report, closing the operational portion of the meeting.

What this means for residents

For residents across the County, this meeting confirmed that community safety decisions are being shaped through collaboration rather than enforcement pressure, that domestic violence support pathways remain a priority, and that local policing is focused on prevention, education, and relationship building rather than ticket volume.

The discussions also reinforced that housing, mental health, and social supports are now firmly tied into how safety is defined and addressed in the county.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:00:04. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.