Collingwood and The Blue Mountains OPP have been tracking an increase in violent crime and guns in the area, which prompted an application to the province’s Community Safety and Policing grant program.
The interim detachment commander, acting Inspector Chris Maecker has been policing in Collingwood for 33 years, and has seen the impacts of a rise in violence.
“We never took handguns off criminals 20 years ago, and now we are, and it’s very concerning,” he said. “I would say that some of what I’ve really seen over the years is an increase in violence and violence-related incidents in regards to illicit drugs. They’re connected.”
The local force, in partnership with the Police Services Board, was successful in receiving $153,307 to be used to suppress gun and gang violence and for education and awareness about both for youth in the community. The money is split over two years with $58,400 available this year and $94,880 next year.
In 2019, the Collingwood and The Blue Mountains OPP laid 22 assault with weapon charges, 18 firearm charges, and recorded a 37-per-cent increase in drug trafficking charges.
There were also three homicides in Collingwood that year. A double homicide at a Matthew Way residence and one later on Market Street when an 86-year-old woman was knocked over as her purse was stolen. She died in hospital later and a suspect has been charged with second-degree murder.
“They are one-time incidents … and not a trend … but they’re related to the drug trade,” said Maecker. “Certainly the Matthew Way one and, when you get down to the details in regards to the other one … it might be a crime of gain, but it’s in relation to drugs.”
The acting inspector said guns and gangs and violence might not come to mind when one thinks of Collingwood, because it is still a “very safe community.”
But the increase in drug trafficking and resulting violence is not something Maecker wants to ignore.
“We have to tackle it, it leads to violence,” he said. “Going after grants like this, I think, is a real proactive approach.”
The money allocated to Collingwood and The Blue Mountains OPP will be used to purchase surveillance equipment for the local OPP, and it can also cover salary costs if someone has to be brought in for a special project.
The cost of security cameras (CCTV) in high-traffic or problem areas in Collingwood could also be covered by the grant funds.
“Because we have some funding there, we can have those talks,” said Maecker. “That’s on the table now, and we have to examine that and look at it in relation to problematic areas within our communities.”
He said permanent surveillance requires “checks and balances,” and would be put to the Police Services Board and possibly Collingwood council before a decision was made.
The grant money came from the Ontario government's Community Safety and Policing Grant program and was part of a two-year, $2.8-million initiative that provided local police services boards with up to $200,000 for a project that would combat gun and gang violence, sexual violence and harassment, and/or human trafficking.
“We couldn’t have done it without the police services board because we needed all their cooperation with this,” said Maecker.
Councillor Kathy Jeffery, council’s representative on the local Police Services Board, said the board is grateful for the funds and noted the initiative of surveillance and education around guns and drug-related violence is “much needed.”
“This is another example of how the teamwork and collaboration between the Collingwood Police Services Board and the OPP detachment are resulting in additional resources to continue keeping our community safe,” said Jeffery in an email.
The grant money will also help the local OPP do more outreach to local schools aimed at spreading awareness and educating students about the violence associated with illicit drugs and trafficking.
“We’re going to have to be creative when it comes to education and engagement during COVID,” said Maecker.
The local OPP detachment is also getting four more years ($22,500 per year) of funding for its School Resources Officer, which is a position that has been in place since 1999 and sees a local officer responsible for Collingwood’s two high schools. The officer is charged with working with staff and community support groups to ensure the safety and security of students.
Acting Insp. Maecker was the first school resources officer in Collingwood in 1999.
Inspector Mary Shannon, usually the detachment commander for Collingwood and The Blue Mountains OPP is away filling in a superintendent role with the OPP. Maecker said she would be back March 1.
