Police record checks for Volunteers will soon be free in Ontario.
The province is eliminating the fee on April 1st as part of changes to the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015
The cost will be scrapped for Criminal Record Checks and Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Checks.
Volunteers will also be able to receive up to five free copies of the record checks.
More front-line officers are being made available to the Ontario Provincial Police.
The provincial government says as many as 200 new officers will be recruited.
Sylvia Jones is the provincial Socilitor General and says many of the officers will go to detachments in this area.
“Many in northern Ontario, as you can imagine, that have had chronic understaffing,”
“So we want to make sure we have the resources and the officers on the ground on the ground in those communities.”
Jones says the extra officers are to address several issues, including mental health.
She adds that the recruitment initiative responds to recommendations made by the OPP Independent Review Panel in its final released back in March.
The provincial government is announcing another tool in the fight against organized crime.
Six million dollars has been promised over three years for new CCTV cameras.
Solicitor General Sylvia Jones says the funding is available to any police department that applies for the money.
“Our front line police tell us CCTV technology works and is one the best tools we have to gain a critical advantage over criminal organizations,” says Jones.
“Gang members are less likely to commit a crime if they are they are at a greater risk of being caught and video footage of crimes committed will help with investigations, identify suspects and support prosecutions to keep criminals off our streets.”
Jones says this follows up on last week’s three million dollars Proceeds of Crime announcement.
