Hub Staff

A wide majority of Saugeen Shores residents favour keeping their local police force, rather than contract policing from another force.

Almost 73 percent of those who responded to a recent community survey were in favour of the community keeping its own police force.

The issue of replacing the local police with the OPP has been a topic of recent discussions at council and among community members.

The fact survey respondents are positive about keeping the local force might in part arise from the fact many residents think Saugeen Shores is safer than the rest of the province.

Almost half of respondents to the community survey think crime in Ontario has increased over the past three years. However, 44 percent believe it has decreased locally, with only 41 percent of the opinion it has increased.

Introducing the survey results to the community, Saugeen Shores Police Chief Dan Rivett said, “This survey was completed by 414 respondents almost 100 more than three years ago.

“This survey will be part of the material supplied to the members of the Business Planning Committee in January.”

Saugeen Shores Police department is preparing the 2017 - 2019 Strategic / Business Plan and Rivett said the survey results will go a long way to assist in planning and shaping the community’s police service.

As to the visibility of police in Saugeen Shores, 85 percent of survey participants said they see a police presence in their neighbourhood, regularly or occasionally. Fewer than 15 percent said they never see the police.

Only a fraction of the people surveyed said they don’t feel safe in a variety of settings in and around the community.

More than 60 percent feel very safe in their own homes and neighbourhoods, while 57 percent feel safe downtown, 33 percent feel safe at school (44 percent didn’t know if they feel safe at school or not). The feel very safe numbers dropped to 38 percent while driving and 44 percent in parks, on trails or at the beach.

The majority of respondents believe the Saugeen Shores Police do a good job in a variety of circumstances.

The “good” ratings were 65 percent for enforcing the law, 38 percent enforcing bylaws; 62 percent for responding promptly to calls; 54 percent for investigating crime; 44 percent for solving serious crimes; 67 percent for being approachable and easy to talk to. And that’s just a few of the categories covered.

On these questions the respondents marked either poor, average, good or unsure.
Most respondents listed drug enforcement, traffic enforcement and RIDE programs among the most important issues for police to address. Bicycle patrols were given the lowest priority rating.

On the issue of helping the police, a wide margin of respondents, 87 percent, said they were not willing the participate in a community watch program.