The new detachment commander for the Haliburton Highlands OPP said she is committed to holding more town halls in the County in future – despite a disappointing turnout for an event Oct. 29 in Minden Hills.
People said they only found out about it after seeing a post on the County website that day. OPP said they had advertised the event on X (formerly Twitter) on Oct. 10. Minden Hills Coun. Tammy McKelvey suggested it would have been better to have advertised in local newspapers.
Staff Sgt. Deb McClure said it was a learning opportunity for them, and they would review marketing in future.
“I think these community outreaches are very important, and it gives me an opportunity to hear from you and vice versa. Collectively, we are a team in this community,” she told a sparse crowd.
She said she planned to hold similar events in future in all four Haliburton County municipalities. She would not commit to how frequently the town halls would be held or when the next one will be.
McClure said the town halls are about education, safety and conversation. There were officers talking about traffic and road safety, being safe on the water, preventing property crime, school safety, and the Mobile Crisis Response Team.
She added, “we’re working hard to increase our presence in schools, and build stronger relationships with youth; to make our roads and neighbourhoods safer places. We know that real progress does not happen in isolation. It happens through partnerships. It isn’t just about hearing from you, but about working with all of you. We need you to be the eyes and ears in our community. When you see something, please say something. When you have concerns, share them with us. Your insights help us respond more effectively to keep the community safe together.”
Audience participant Krystal Shannon said police follow-up on investigations is a problem.
She talked about a recent incident in Gooderham involving some “sketchy” people who appeared to have stolen items in a vehicle and were canvassing a property. She said police were called, and did come, but the complainants were never interviewed and OPP never contacted them afterwards.
McClure said while arrests were made in connection with the incident, Shannon’s point about follow up was “fair” and “valid.” She noted police often cannot tell community members much during investigations.
The chief was asked about a concern about the number of cruisers during a shift in Haliburton County and a perception there are not enough.
She said, “they’re the same concerns across the province. There is never enough. Unfortunately, it comes with a cost and we do what we can with our resources as best as we can based on so many factors.”
She noted they always have back-up across the region, and those officers may not be as visible to the general public as they use unmarked cars and wear civilian clothing.
Officer Isaac Austin spoke to property crime, saying it is “a huge issue in this community because it is so relatable.” He said everybody had come to the cottage to find a broken window, a stolen piece of equipment, or siphoned or stolen gas. However, he said the community street crime unit is very active in the Highlands.
He had some prevention tips, such as writing down VIN numbers, or putting your driver’s licence number on property, so it can be identified and returned. He told people to keep shed and garage doors locked, and have security cameras.
Minden Hills coun. Pam Sayne asked, “what is driving crime here? Addictions, poverty, crime syndicates? I think we have to get to that in order to turn things around.”
