He knows it won't happen overnight, but Greater Sudbury Police Chief Ian Davidson said he's joining the growing movement to have the province take back court security costs.
About 15 years ago in the early 1990s, the provincial government downloaded the costs for court security to municipalities across Ontario, Davidson told the Greater Sudbury Police Services Board at their monthly meeting Monday evening.
The province left it up to all chiefs of police to determine the level of security needed at courthouses spread across the country and ordered chiefs to find the money in their budgets to pay for court security officers, said Davidson.
Last year, court security costs at the Sudbury courthouse were between $1.7 and $1.8 million, said Davidson.
"That's a huge number for us," said Davidson, noting the vast majority of those costs are related to paying salaries as well as benefits and pension contributions.
Ontario is the only province in Canada which forces municipalities to pay the costs of court security, said Davidson.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) have been "leading the way" attempting to pressure the current Liberal government to once again take over the costs of court security across Ontario, said Davidson.
If the province were to agree and take over court security costs, all citizens would benefit as it would allow police services across the province to hire more officers, said Davidson.The Owen Sound Police Service has initiated a motion asking the province to pay for court security costs and is asking other police services in the province to join them, said Davidson.
The province isn't going to even consider paying for these costs unless there is significant pressure applied from the policing community and police services boards, said Davidson.
"I'm not very optimistic because we've been trying for years without success," he said.
Board chair David Petryna suggested the Sudbury board draft a letter or motion - or both - to send to the provincial government and Ontario Association of Police Services Boards (OAPSB) asking the province to again start paying for court security costs.
There are "numerous models" that could provide adequate security, including hiring private security, using bailiffs and sheriffs like they do in British Columbia or paying local police services directly to hire auxiliary officers who work as court security officers, said Davidson.
