Essex County Council will be presented with two options next week on policing within the region.
Earlier this month, Amherstburg mayor Michael Prue presented a notice of motion with two options for regional policing in Essex County.
This motion stemmed after Windsor City Council voted at the end of December 2024 to end the agreement that had the Windsor Police Service providing policing in the Town of Amherstburg due to increased costs. The service has been provided since January 2019.
On April 2, two options will be presented to County Council. Option 1 would be to have administration work with local municipalities to explore options for a traditional regional policing model in the county.
Option 2 would be to see administration working with municipalities on a collaborative approach to policing in the long term with Ontario Provincial Police - managed by one central command. The County of Essex can manage and deliver policing as a regional body, and could maintain local control and service levels while benefiting from the cost savings of a centralized system.
For Option 2, any municipality can opt out if they have their own policing - such as the Town of LaSalle - and costs for the service will be shared equally among all participants.
Prue says Option 1 wouldn't start for a number of years.
"And we've requested a date by 2029, so if there is a move of foot, or enough people willing to do it, we could look to establishing a county police force, much the same as Durham has, or some of the other larger counties in the province."
He says Option 2 would see an OPP force that's managed by one centralized command.
"For the seven municipalities, I don't think there would be seven because LaSalle would never do it and I don't blame them, they have a good police force. But for the other six, we'd only require one police chief, a couple of deputy chiefs, those kinds of things. And there may be some synergies, and efficiencies to be had."
Prue says he's hopeful the others at the table will want a report back on what both options would look like.
"How it would work - the first one, and second one - how much it would save each individual municipality that is presently with the OPP. If it looks good and if there are savings to be had in the long term, there may be much support. But in the meantime, I'm just hoping they at least allow it to go forward so that they can find out."
The current agreement for policing between the City of Windsor and the Town of Amherstburg will expire on December 31, 2028.
The Town of LaSalle is the only municipality within the County of Essex who has their own police service. Other than Amherstburg, the other five municipalities are policed by the OPP.
County Council will meet on Wednesday, April 2, at 6 p.m.