The Sarnia Police Emergency Response Team (ERT) will be getting some new equipment.
At its February 27 meeting, the Sarnia Police Service Board approved the purchase of 14 sets of Night Vision Optical Devices at a cost of $140,726.
The goggles would allow users to see in low-light and night-time conditions.
Chair Paul Wiersma said the cost was already included in the 2025 budget.
Cst. David Ferrera said he's happy the equipment got approved.
"We have wonderful support from the board and the chief in order to provide us with the tools and the capability that we need to do the job safely and effectively," he said.
Ferrera said there has been an increase in calls for service for the ERT.
"We've taken on warrant services for the whole department, which is not something in previous years we've done and then just the number of calls for service that we've been dispatched to," he said.
Since 2023 the numbers for calls for service have gone up.
In 2024 the ERT was called out 20 times and so far in 2025 there have been five callouts.
Ferrera said it is possible for the number of callouts to increase even further.
"It is hard to project because these calls eb and flow but within the two months we've had in 2025 I think it's a large enough dataset to suggest that we'll at least meet the number of 2024 if not surpass it," he said.
The ERT currently has 13 members including the team leader.
Currently the ERT is considered a containment team, which means there are some limitations on what members are allowed to do under the legislation.
Ferrera said members are full-time officers who also work on the road.
"If we ever transition to a full-time tactical team [officers] responsibility to the road would remain the same and I believe the chief and the board are looking at options for the future in what that would look like," he said.
Ferrera added that to become a Level II Tactical Team there would need to be a supervisor and every member would need a night vision device.