The town of Fort Frances will end its current policing contract with the OPP early.
Town council approved the move Monday night to allow for allow for the inclusion of special constables in a new contract.
Councillor John McTaggart, who is also chair of the Police Services Board, says the existing contract was to expire at the end of the year.
“This was a clear way for Municipal Policing to add the enhancement to the contract bu just making it a new contract” says McTaggart.
The OPP says it will hire two special constables, which are considered civilian positions, to handle court security.
It’s a job now performed by uniformed officers at a considerable cost to the town.
The use of special constables is expected to lower security costs by about $113-thousand annually.
McTaggart says the cost of the town’s policing contract will rise, though.
“But it’s going to give us cost certainty because right now we have frontline officers doing court security. This will allow for special constables to be in that position.”
Council decision will result in the current contract ending October 1 and a new one taking its place.
It’s expected the special constables will be in place at the Fort Frances Courthouse early in the new year.
