Policing in SDG and Cornwall set to be more expensive in 2020
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The requests by the two services that police the area — the Cornwall Police Service (CPS) and the SDG OPP are increasing for 2020.
The CPS’ 2020 budget request for $19,608,754 constituted a more than half a million dollar increase from last year’s police budget. In comparison, the SDG OPP budget request to SDG council was $10.3 million, $297,530 more than last year’s request of $10 million.
A decision by Cornwall council to approve the CPS budget would therefore see city taxpayers pay in about $9 million more than SDG for policing services.
Dollar-for-dollar, is just looking at the two price tags a fair comparison? Are ratepayers in either municipality getting the policing they need, with the approach they want, at a reasonable cost? Making a comparison based on dollars alone is unfair to both OPP and the Cornwall police, both of which do the work to police our communities.
The Cornwall police’s history dates back to 1784 when village Consts. David Wright and David Scheik patrolled the streets that would later become known as Cornwall and the Townships. SDG OPP on the other hand, took over policing of all of SDG in 2000, after the police service in Alexandria was disbanded.
“Prior to that the OPP has been policing in the separate counties that make up the United Counties of SDG for many decades,” said SDG OPP Insp. Mike Mulhearn.
The areas policed by the two services are quite different, both in size and in the number of residents. The SDG OPP’s area of coverage spans all of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, which is 3,250 square kilometres and home to approximately 65,000 residents, whereas the CPS polices 62 square kilometres and a population of about 47,000.
The SDG OPP currently employs 102.5 uniformed personnel, whereas the CPS currently has 89 sworn officers and 10 special constables. In all, Cornwall employs 136 full-time staff members and 14 part-time members.
The Cornwall service possesses a headquarters building on Pitt Street, as well as an east-end station on Montreal Road. The station is home to the CPS’ youth services unit and the crime reduction/community partnership unit.
The SDG OPP on the other hand, runs five operational buildings, its detachment headquarters being in Long Sault. Four satellite detachments are located in Alexandria, Lancaster, Morrisburg and Winchester.
Both police services also bill their appropriate municipalities differently. The CPS’ request is on a budget basis—meaning the city ratepayers pick up the cost of all the services offered by police, minus any revenues it earns from provincial and federal governments, and charging for some of its services, such as dispatching for some outlying fire departments, etc.
The OPP charges SDG on a per-property basis as well as on calls for service. SDG pays $183.23 per property. The rate for calls for services doesn’t reflect the number of calls taken in SDG, but rather, a proportionate share calculated from the total calls all OPP detachments on municipal contracts respond to throughout the province.
Cornwall police Chief Danny Aikman said he understood some of the city’s residents might see the additional $9 million as a reason for Cornwall to perhaps set its sights on the OPP. He was however adamant the service offered by his officers differs from the one provided by their OPP counterparts.
“I recognize that it’s expensive,” he said, during an interview with the Standard-Freeholder. “But being a municipal police services allows us to make all of our decisions locally, in Cornwall. Our members are closely intertwined with the community. That’s what community policing is all about.
“We come from this community and most of us live in the city of Cornwall or close proximity to it, so we know what the issues are here.”
Aikman also recognized that 87 per cent of his department’s budget comes from wages and benefits.
“Most people focus on the sworn elements because that’s what they see, in terms of a police service,” said Aikman. “Obviously we have a lot of supporting elements that help us achieve our goals. From a front-line perspective, our field operations division is comprised of the community patrol, the criminal investigations division, which also includes our sexual assault and child abuse unit, as well as our street crime and intelligence unit.”
Despite not being able to provide the Standard Freeholder with statistics, Aikman stressed his staff also provide the community with several hours of volunteering time.
“We don’t keep track of the hours we spend doing volunteer work,” he started,” but if there’s a volunteering opportunity within the community, we’re there. Whether it’s minor sports or the Children’s Christmas Cheer event, we are there.”
Mulhearn for his part explained the SDG OPP Auxiliary Unit volunteered 3,964 hours in 2019.
“Many members volunteer their time outside of work in roles such as coaching and managing sports teams, firefighters as well as being part of community groups, school councils and clubs,” he said. “The OPP and its members are very involved in the community. As a community partner with many other agencies, we strive to ensure not only public safety but the well-being of our residents and to provide assistance to our marginalized populations so all receive the required services.”
The SDG OPP has access to several different units, such as community street crime, traffic management, court services and emergency response team, as well as a K9 unit, based in SDG.
“Certain members within the SDG OPP are also specialists in fields such as the provincial liaison team, hostage negotiator, tactical flight officer, drug recognition experts, scene of crimes officers, motorized snow vehicle operators, marine operators , all-terrain vehicle operator, technical collision investigator, commercial vehicle safety inspectors, and firearms examiners to name a few,” said Mulhearn. “SDG OPP also has access to all of the OPP’s specialized provincial units, such as the organized crime enforcement bureau, aviation services and provincial anti-terrorism section, to name a few.”
The CPS for its part also offers several units, such as a bicycle foot patrol, communications centre/police and fire dispatch, community patrol division, Cornwall emergency response team, court bureau, crime reduction and community partnerships, criminal investigation division, forensic identification division, marine policing, records bureau, sexual assault & child abuse, street crime unit and a traffic unit.
Both police services are also part of their own situation tables. Since its creation in 2017, the Cornwall situation table has addressed over 80 specific cases.
“The situation table has more than 30 partners, sitting together to address local issues,” Aikman said. “That’s individuals with mental health or addiction issues, criminal activity within a family and so on. Cornwall police has brought 25 of those situations to the table and we’ve assisted in an additional 46.”
One of the main issues the CPS faces the SDG OPP does not, according to Aikman, is linked to socio-economic situations in Cornwall.
“Poverty is a real issue in Cornwall and the area,” he said. “It’s is one of those reasons why crime actually occurs. As do the lack of resources for such things as mental health and addictions services. You add that to certain areas of towns that may have population density, and those are all the elements that criminologists will tell you contribute to crime in a community.
“We spend a lot of time trying to deal with these issues.”
Local units offered by both police services
- Bicycle and foot patrol (Cornwall only)
- K-9 unit (OPP only)
- Communications centre/police and fire dispatch (Cornwall only)
- Community patrol division
- Emergency response team
- Court services (both, but ultimate responsibility is Cornwall) Covered by provincial funding
- Crime reduction and community partnerships
- Criminal investigation division
- Forensic identification division (Cornwall only)
- Marine policing
- Records bureau (Cornwall only — OPP records are not held in SDG)
- Sexual assault and child abuse (Cornwall only)
- Street crime unit
- Traffic unit
- Youth services
- Motorized snow unit (OPP only)
- All-terrain vehicle operator (OPP only)
Cornwall staffing
- Sworn officers: 89
- Special constables: 10
- Part-time staff: 16
- Civilian members: 38
- Total: 143
SDG OPP staffing
- Sworn officers: 99.5 full-time equivalent
- Special constables: 3
- Part-time employees: 10
- Civilian employees: 15
- Total: 127.5
Cornwall cost per household (based on 2018 figures)
- No. of households served: 22,007
- Total policing cost: $19,146,649
- Cost per household: $870.02
SDG OPP cost per household (based on 2018 figures)
- No. of households served: 27,947
- Total policing cost: $10,194,491
- Cost per household: $364.78
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