A Kenora city councilor has decided not to table notice of motion to bring back the Kenora Police Service.
Bob Bernie says he wanted to bring the notice of motion forward because of the high policing costs in the city.
“I wanted to bring the conversation into the public domain, that yeah, you know, this is an option,” Bernie told council at their open meeting in February.
“Will there be a cost associated with that, of course there will be. We’re paying a cost now. It that just I wanted the province know, the Sol Gen (Solicitor General) know we have another option here.”
Bernie had indicated last month that he planned to bring the motion forward at city council’s open meeting this month, but he has changed his mind.
“I’m not getting into a debate about the merits of municipal policing versus provincial policing because I’m not bringing the motion forward. I just wanted to give you a context about why I brought it forward. I just wanted to the best thing, for the best value and the best level of service for the citizens of Kenora. That was my sole motivation.”
Bernie says he decided not to bring the notice of motion forward because of feedback he received from the community and the fact the province is trying to do something to reduce policing costs for the city.
Bernie was a former member of the Kenora Police Service and transferred over to the Kenora OPP in 2009 when the city disbanded the municipal police force.
