Police Association Reacts To Closure Decision

The Dryden Police Association is speaking out against a Police Services Board decision to close the Communications Centre next year.
The Com. Centre has been providing communications services in the area since 1979 and currently services Ignace, Wabigoon, Oxdrift, Machin, Dryden Fire and Red Lake Fire.
The Association says in a media release that the decision was made in isolation by the Board.
The statement reads that since May the Police Services Board never asked for input from the Association and never discussed so-called new costs of communications.
The Association is also questioning the job Owen Sound Police will do in handling communications as well as a statement from the Chief of Police that we won’t see a change in the level of service.
The release also states that to add insult to injury there has been no public consultation prior to the decision.
The Association is calling for the public to lobby the Board to reverse its decision.
The group says a second option is an Ontario Provincial Police costing study.
The Association says the decision to close the Com. Centre can be put off until a new Council is elected in 2014 and there’s an opportunity to explore all options in a “reasonable, fair and informed manner”.
The Association represents 18-uniform police officers and 15-civilian staff.