OPP requests office space, increased visibility in Wingham
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
Huron County OPP Detachment Commander Jason Younan spoke to North Huron Council at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 8 in regards to police visibility in the area.
Younan explained that the majority of the OPP’s engagement in North Huron is spent in Wingham, as a move to technology-based platforms has allowed the OPP to pinpoint which areas are most in need of service. “Gone are the days of patrolling dirt roads at random,” he said, going on to point out that, “analytics tells us that we should spend 63 per cent of our time [in North Huron] in Wingham.“
Younan pointed to specific problem areas within Wingham, citing hundreds of individual occurrences in recent years on Josephine Street alone, mostly theft and other property crimes.
He also noted 36 incidents that have taken place in Wingham and District Hospital over the same time period, which, while troubling, has led to the OPP forging a stronger relationship with the hospital.
Part of the OPP presentation highlighted increases in RIDE programs and foot and school patrols in Wingham. Younan said he is proud of the efforts of officers in Wingham, telling council that, “I review videos of officers all the time - they are there in the dark places where people are doing things.”
Commander Younan also included a request to council for a space in Wingham for officers to work out of, as they are spending so much time downtown. The optimal space would include a 24-hour desk with a computer and a bathroom. “The preference is something municipally owned and run, because we already have that relationship with the municipality. We traditionally find ourselves a place to put a computer, a place to sit, a place to have a coffee and maybe go to the washroom. Something highly visible is what we’re looking for. I am looking for your good graces and for your interest in deterring crime along the way,” he said.
Council debated the idea of providing the requested space. Reeve Paul Heffer said he is in favour of the idea, commenting, “I see it all makes sense,” and Councillor Ric McBurney agreed, saying that it was “exactly what the townspeople want: visibility. They need more.” Councillor Chris Palmer concurred, adding that “Wingham is where most of the problems are.”
Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer questioned whether the crime issue is systemic to Wingham, and brought up concerns about whether allowing a police desk would be a step backwards for the township, pointing out that “we had just gotten away from having extras in one place and everybody having the same amount… we got that down to a level playing field.” The OPP took over police services in Wingham after the Wingham Police disbanded on Feb. 21, 2019, after 140 years of service. The decision was made largely due to budgetary concerns.
Palmer suggested that council consider a place off of Josephine Street, if needed, and asked staff to reach out to the Wingham hospital as a potential location.
Council agreed to have staff work with the OPP to gather additional information on the possibility of allotting space for officers in Wingham before any decision is made.