A motion to review alternative policing options in the city has caused a lot of disappointment and anxiety within the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) and its board.
City/County Councillor Bill Dennis posted on Facebook his intention to bring forward a motion at the next city council meeting, which includes a review of the potential transition to an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) model.
Sarnia Police Chief Derek Davis referenced the motion during Thursday's SPS Board meeting.
"It's disappointing after all we've done and all we've achieved," Davis said. "As a chief and on behalf of our members and all that we've worked towards, it is disappointing. But he's fully within his purview to raise that and we respect that part of the process."
In an interview with Sarnia News Today, Dennis said his motion has nothing to do with the quality of service the SPS provides.
"I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the Sarnia police. I think the quality of service they deliver is second to none. I think it's fantastic," Dennis said. "But I have real beef with the way that the Sarnia police board has shoved this (proposed police headquarters) down our throats. I think they're tone deaf."
The board recently issued a legal notice after Strong Mayor Powers were used to axe funding from the 2026 budget to support a new police facility, estimated to cost approximately $91 million.
Dennis said he supports the mayor's decision as this funding commitment would heavily impact taxpayers for the foreseeable future.
"The whole point of the OPP motion is to show the police board, hey, listen guys, don't play hardball with us because we can play hardball back. We have options," Dennis said.
While he acknowledged the current police headquarters is in disrepair, Dennis said there are cheaper options than the proposed new build at the Sarnia Business and Research Park.
"They want the Cadillac option, when we'd probably get by on a Chevrolet option," Dennis said.
"The last thing I want to do is replace our force with the OPP," Dennis continued. "This motion isn't intended to rattle anybody. It's a shot across the bow of our police board, to show them, hey, don't try to muscle us into doing something we don't want to do or that we're not comfortable with."
While the intention may not have been to "rattle" members of the SPS, some have experienced anxiety over the matter.
"There's consternation, of course, because it takes a sense of security away from our members, in particular our civilian side," Chief Davis said.
If a transition to OPP were to occur, SPS Board Chair Kelly Ash said it would translate to nearly 100 job losses.
Other factors to consider also include the costs for severance packages and the state of the Christina Street police facility.
"OPP - should this go, and I pray it does not - they're not going to walk into this building and go, 'Oh, yeah this is great,'" said Ash. "The whole issue is not going to go away."
Ash was emotional during the discussion and said she was "heartbroken" about the matter. Both she and Davis agreed that it sent a negative message to staff.
"That is a strong message to the men and women of this organization who have worked very hard to [make] a ton of changes as we deliver police services in our community," Davis said. "They deserve better than to be treated like that."
Davis said while the SPS respects the OPP, the model comparison is apples to oranges.
"There are different nuances in governance and what you can and can't control. Municipal board ... that's where the board can decide on the chief, they can decide on the budget, they have a lot more opportunity to make a lot more direct decisions."
Davis admitted, policing budgets have gone up since he arrived, however, inflation and "decades of neglect and underfunding" should be considered.
"The largest budget we have ever put forward was 11.53 per cent. That was the big one. Then, they've all been less than that," Davis said. "The OPP cap this year is 11 per cent."
Davis also noted that municipal police budgets first go to the board before going to city council for final approval. If a transition were made to an OPP model, Ash said city councillors would lose their say in the policing budget.
SPS Board Vice Chair Anne Marie Gillis spoke on a past experience to have OPP costing reviewed, and at that time, community members were loud and clear: they did not want to lose a municipal police service.
"It caused a lot of angst in the community," Gillis said. "I will never ever support that again. Once you do it once, you don't go down that road again."
Sarnia's next council meeting will be held on Monday, March 9, at 1 p.m.
