NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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Members OPP Auxiliary Unit attached to the of the Southern Georgian Bay detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are often the unrecognized members who help lift our community through volunteer participation at numerous community events.
The detachment has an Auxiliary Unit comprised of 14 officers which includes an Auxiliary Staff Sergeant, two Auxiliary Sergeants and 11 Auxiliary Constables. These officers provided 2,878 hours in 2019 conducting tasks such as traffic control and community interaction at local events such as all of the area Santa Claus parades, Food and Toy drives, Easter Egg Hunts, Remembrance Day Parades along with other community ceremonies and events.
Specially trained members of the OPP's Auxiliary Policing Program also support the full time regular OPP officers by conducting Property Security Reviews of homes and businesses for the OPP SafeGuard Ontario Property Security Program. This program is a public awareness and education initiative has been very well received by the community as the Auxiliary officers present the home and business owner the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) to help reduce re-victimization of property crimes.
OPP Auxiliary Units mission is to provide fully trained volunteer Auxiliary members to assist in the delivery of traffic safety and community-based crime prevention initiatives and to perform police duties only in special circumstances, such as during an unforeseen emergency that the front line officers of the OPP require additional resources. Here in the Southern Georgian Bay area, regular officers enjoy being supported by their volunteer counterparts while on patrol on land but also while on the water conducting marine patrol duties and many other community related duties.
"On behalf of the serving men and women of the Southern Georgian Bay detachment and the area Municipalities we serve and protect, we say Thank You to the members of the OPP Auxiliary Unit for your many hours spent away from you families while you selflessly volunteer for the greater good of our communities" Southern Georgian Bay OPP Detachment interim Commander Inspector Joseph Evans.
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