A threat made against Collingwood's high school by a former student earlier this year, which resulted in weapons seized, has police suggesting Collingwood Collegiate Institute work with local OPP on a key plan for future emergencies.
At the Collingwood OPP Detachment Board meeting on Oct. 17, Collingwood and Blue Mountains OPP detachment commander Insp. Loris Licharson shared hopes for the new project in collaboration with the Simcoe County District School Board that would see the force provided with a keyfob to unlock CCI’s doors in an emergency.
“We’re trying to start this pilot because, in the event that there is a lockdown due to an active threat within the school environment...everything is locked. Our role is to respond as fast as we can to stop that threat,” explained Licharson following the meeting.
“Seconds count, and if we get to that scene...and there isn’t somebody from the office there to let us in, we’re breaching it, but that takes time,” he said. “The more prepared we are for the unthinkable, the better able we will be to respond.”
Licharson said the force isn’t looking for open access to schools at all times. He said any keyfob provided to the force would be monitored and tracked on who used it, when and why.
“We want to start a conversation (with school boards) to see if it can work or not.”
On Sept. 11, CCI was put in a brief hold and secure while Collingwood OPP investigated a threat against the school made five months prior. Police received the report on Sept. 11 about a threat made in March 2024 against CCI by a former student.
With the help of the Huronia West detachment, Collingwood OPP officers went to a Clearview residence and found two firearms and several high-capacity magazines.
On learning the suspect was possibly nearby the Collingwood high school, CCI was put in a hold and secure, though it was after school hours during extra-curricular activities.
Police located and stopped the suspect's vehicle in a parking lot on Cameron Street and arrested the driver and passenger without incident. At that time, police also seized two replica firearms, bear spray, pepper spray, a knife and brass knuckles.
Police charged Jordan Young, 18, of Clearview with multiple counts of uttering threats, possession of a prohibited weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of an imitation firearm, possession of a prohibited device and careless storage of a firearm. The vehicle passenger, Bradley Caughlin, an 18-year-old from Collingwood, was also arrested and charged, although he has not been linked to the threat against the school.
“The information I can provide is extremely limited as there is a publication ban,” Licharson told members of the board. “The investigation is ongoing, and it’s extremely in-depth and thorough, under the direction of... Huronia West detachment.”
“They’re constantly reviewing the facts they have before them and could be looking at upgrading or adding additional charges as the investigation progresses. There is no information at this point to indicate there was anyone else involved,” he said.
Following the Sept. 11 incident, Licharson said conversations have been ongoing with the SCDSB and out of that came the idea for the pilot.
Police services board provincial appointee Mike Edwards called the Collingwood OPP response on Sept. 11 “appropriate.”
“I never heard anyone say, why did they send all those cruisers?” said Edwards. “Apart from the surprise of (this happening) in our community, which is hard to swallow. Overall, the response was all-hands-on-deck, and that was on display.”
