Amherstburg is now down to two options to consider for the future of policing within the town.
The town was in talks with LaSalle on contracting policing out to the LaSalle Police Service.
Amherstburg mayor Michael Prue says they were informed last month that LaSalle could not move forward following several conversations with mayor Crystal Meloche, and LaSalle's CAO and police chief.
Prue said LaSalle's reasoning included costs, timing, and staff resources.
"You might be able to find 30 recruits but you couldn't send them to the police college in Aylmer and have them trained in time for them to come on board. We as the municipality would have to pay those people to be trained. We're going to have them for a year or two to have them trained while they're not doing police work," he said.
Earlier this year, Windsor announced it would not renew its policing contract beyond 2028 due to rising costs, and Prue later confirmed talks ended after the city refused Amherstburg a seat on the police board.
Prue had also approached Essex County Council in the spring with the idea of forming a regional police force, however he was opposed 10-3.
In October, council requested a report, expected in February, detailing all future policing options, including updates on Windsor and LaSalle talks, estimated OPP costs, and the potential of re-establishing an Amherstburg police force.
Prue said he's looking forward to reading that report.
"I am not discouraged. We knew that all of the options were not feasible," said Prue.
While stopping short of endorsing any remaining option, Prue emphasized that council must act quickly once the staff report arrives early in the new year as time is running out.
"If we wait longer than that, than the option of starting our own is virtually impossible. The same sort of thing that happened to LaSalle. You've got to find 30 officers, you gotta pay them, send them to the college, you have to set everything up, buy the cars. That's all got to be done," he said.
Prue said once available all reports will be made public and the town will gather resident feedback through open meetings.
-with files from CTV Windsor's Robert Lothian