Front-line police patrol in Windsor sometimes at 'dangerously low' levels, says union
CBC
The union representing Windsor police officers is pushing for mandatory minimum staffing levels on the front lines after a recent patrol shift dropped to what they describe as concerning levels.
On a weekend in October, Windsor Police Association (WPA) president Kent Rice said there were only 13 front-line officers working on a shift, "which is dangerously low."
"That puts people in jeopardy, puts people in harm's way. And when I say that, it means our response times, that means the community itself," said Rice.
Rice wants to see police administration, and the board, put mandatory minimums in place for front-line officers. The situation last month wasn't the first time it's happened, he said.
The Windsor Police Service and the Windsor Police Services Board did not respond to CBC's request for comments.
During a special meeting of council on Monday, police board chair Jo-Anne Gignac said "policing costs are getting uncontrollable."
At the same time, mandatory minimums could mean additional policing costs. The service would be paying more overtime or bringing in more officers.
Across the province, formal mandatory policing minimums are not very common, according to the Police Association of Ontario (PAO), a group that represents police unions.
But president Mark Baxter said more local associations seem to be asking for these patrol minimums.
"What we do see in police services where the police association is calling for minimum staffing levels, that is that is a result of the police association not having confidence that resources are being deployed appropriately by the chief of police," said Baxter.
Staffing shortages are an issue across Canada, and certainly not unique to Windsor.
Rice said Windsor police is a younger police service, so some may be off on parental leave. Others may be taking a sick day, be off due to a long-term injury sustained on the job, mandatory training or stress leave, he added.
At the same time, fewer people are applying to become a police officer, so recruiting adds another layer to what the PAO calls a staffing crisis.
There are no provincial minimums or recommended standards when it comes to resourcing police departments in different communities, according to Baxter.
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