Owen Sound Police Chief Tom Kaye feels the province’s announcement to upload court security costs was a waste of time.
In late October, the Ontario government announced they would begin to cover provincial court costs — but it wouldn’t start until 2012.
The province downloaded court costs onto municipalities in the 1990’s.
Kaye says the government is not taking the issue seriously, especially because the funding change would not go into effect until after the next Ontario election.
Kaye has written a letter to the President of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police on behalf of 35 other police leaders.
The leaders met in Midland November 4th to discuss court costs and other policing issues.
Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners and Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley have also sent a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty expressing their concerns.
Ontario is the only province in the country where municipalities have to foot the bill.
The cities projected costs for court security next year is 430 thousand dollars.
Kaye says 7 to 10 percent of the police budget is being allocated to court security- when it could be going to more valued services
