Overkill

A Wellington resident slipped and fell stepping out of her garage on Saturday afternoon— managing to knock herself unconscious. Her husband called 9-1-1. Within minutes members of the Wellington detachment of the Prince Edward Fire Department were on the scene to assist the resident and prepare her to be transported to the hospital by ambulance. The ambulance arrived about five minutes later.

Then, one by one, six OPP vehicles ripped through the village at a blistering speed, sirens wailing, engines roaring as they raced toward the crime scene. It seemed perhaps Luka Magnotta had been spotted in the village— or perhaps the Eaton Centre shooter? No, it was just someone who fell in their yard. About 10 days earlier it was late in the afternoon. Kids were out of school. The dawdlers were meandering toward home. Others were looking for friends before heading to the park. Just then an OPP cruiser raced through Bloomfield and then Wellington at an incomprehensibly high rate of speed.

Had a child (or adult, or senior for that matter) stepped out onto the street at that moment, there surely would have been no way to avoid hitting them. It was a tragedy avoided only by luck.

No police report followed. No bad guys rooted out of a West Street hideout. Nothing. If anyone else had done what these officers had done, their licences would have been suspended immediately, and their vehicles taken away. If convicted they would have faced a $10,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

But with a badge and 18 weeks of training— it’s their job.

The Prince Edward detachment of the OPP regularly welcomes new recruits and fresh constables. The County has been the first posting for many young officers who go on to bigger and better things. This is, I suppose, a good thing. Better to learn on-the-job training in a community with mostly routine police requirements.

But surely one of the most important early lessons these young men and women need to learn is the right response to the right circumstance. Very rarely, if ever, is it necessary, helpful, or useful to thunder through the County’s busy main streets in response to a call.

By and large we don’t have much crime in Prince Edward County—certainly not the kind that requires the urgent response witnessed in Wellington on Sunday. Furthermore the violent crime that has occurred in recent years would hardly have been mitigated by a more timely response.

This community has its share of vandalism, small-time break-ins and domestic assaults— and while these are serious issues worthy of prompt police attention—they rarely require 3,000-pound automobiles barrelling through our communities, putting our children and vulnerable seniors at risk.

Policing is a difficult and often thankless job. I seek not to make it harder or to second guess tough decisions. Police see a side of the community many of us would prefer to believe doesn’t exist. We want them patrolling our neighbourhood more frequently, but overlook our own careless behaviour behind the wheel.

There is no question our police do good work in our community. Many of those who were victimized by the kids who fled one of six Bayfield Treatment Centres over the past few years praise the care and assistance provided by OPP officers in dealing with their issues and trauma.

While I am skeptical that we need 42 officers in a community of 25,000 people, and even less sure we need to spend nearly $5 million a year for this sturdy complement, I am grateful to live in a safe and peaceful community. The OPP play an important role in ensuring it stays that way.

However, our OPP masters must do a better job of impressing upon their young recruits that it is dangerous and unacceptable for them to hurtle through our neighbourhoods at reckless rates of speed— with seemingly little regard for the folks who live here and might get in the way.

In true emergencies our volunteer firefighters typically arrive first and are better equipped and trained to deal with the urgent medical issues they may face. There is little purpose served in putting lives at risk so that six OPP cruisers get there sooner.

rick@wellingtontimes.ca

Correction: I mistakenly referred to Dr. Bob Mc- Murtry by his brother’s given name in last week’s comment. Sorry.