MANITOULIN—Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Manitoulin Detachment commander Staff Sergeant Kevin Webb says that it is way too early to start thinking about, or holding consultations, with stakeholders and the public on which, if any, of the Island OPP detachment offices will be closed. This comes after the recent announcement that Little Current will be one of the locations for nine new detachment buildings being constructed across the province.
“With the announcement of where the new detachment office is being built, it would be pure speculation at this point (as to what detachment buildings could be looked at for closure). We haven’t started talking about closure with the municipalities,” stated Staff Sergeant Webb. “We’re a long way from that point.”
Staff Sergeant Webb explained the province “is still in the process of identifying the contractor to carry out the construction of the nine new OPP detachment buildings in the province. Once a contractor is identified, the province will put together a schedule as to when each building will be constructed, so depending on where the Little Current location is on the list it could be a couple of years.”
The request for proposals for construction of the new detachments is expected to be issued in mid-2017. Staff Sergeant Webb said when the construction time lines are set, “we will have a better idea and, once the Little Current location construction schedule has been determined, I will be contacting the contractor. Once the building is constructed and officers have been moved in we will then be able to start talking about possible detachment office closures and we will undertake consultations with the municipalities and stakeholders. I will have to do an analytical representation of the four detachments and the calls for service, geography and consultation with the affected municipalities and (OPP) members who work in the OPP buildings.”
