Monday, January 22, 2007

Manitoulin Detachment WEEKLY CRIME REPORTS

SNOW MACHINE COMPLAINTS STARTING

On Wednesday 17 Jan 07 at 6:15 pm Manitoulin OPP officers in Gore Bay were called by alert citizens advising of a young person operating a snow machine on the streets of Gore Bay without a helmet. Officers quickly located the youth and approcate action was taken. Constable Allan Boyd Community Services Officer advises that with the recent amount of snow the snowmobiles are out and about. With that so are our officers watching for all the proper things like a licence, registration and insurance. Also an OFSC trail permit if operating on the OFSC trails.


FIRE DISTROYS HOME IN SILVERWATER

On Sunday 21 Jan 07 at 0440 Manitoulin OPP along with officers from the UCCM Tribal Police were called to a home along Hwy 540 in Silverwater that was on fire. Earlier in the evening the occupants were awakened to a chimney fire in the residence. The occupants managed to extinguish the fire with water and baking soda. A space electric heater was then turned on to keep the place warm while the occupants went to relatives to spend the night. At 4:40 am police travelled by the residence to find the house engulfed in flames. Silverwater Volunteer Fire Department were called and responded quickly however the home was lost to fire. Luckily no injuries were reported.

OPP Black & White Cruisers on Patrol Again

(MANITOULIN, ON) – Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers will soon be patrolling Ontario roadways and communities in the traditional black and white police car, adding greater visibility and instant recognition to OPP general duty and traffic patrol.

Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter joined OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino and Ford Motor Company of Canada St. Thomas Assembly Plant Manager Mark Boldin to unveil the new OPP black and white Crown Victoria cruiser being built in St. Thomas.

“We welcome the return of the traditional black and white cruisers,” said Minister Kwinter. “Their enhanced visibility on Ontario’s major highways will add significantly to the safe driving message we want to reinforce with the motoring public. We support the OPP and the important work police officers are doing to keep our communities safe,” added Minister Kwinter.

The black and white cruisers will provide a distinctive presence to OPP stepped-up efforts to make Ontario highways safer and to bring traffic safety issues in line with other important public safety issues and concerns.

“Officer and public safety are the primary concerns,” said Commissioner Fantino.
“The black and white patrol vehicle will be instantly recognizable as an OPP patrol car and, with the new LED high visibility roof lights and vehicle markings, will have a greater impact on the visibility of OPP vehicles patrolling our communities and our roadways,” added Commissioner Fantino.


The first OPP black and white cruisers will be patrolling high traffic areas of the 400 series
highways by the beginning of March 2007. The full roll out will follow the normal replacement schedule for general patrol vehicles, returning the OPP fleet of patrol vehicles to the traditional black and white configuration over the next two and a half years.

The reintroduction of the traditional look cruisers coincides with the renewed OPP focus on traffic safety, in particular aggressive targeting of the inappropriate actions of dangerous drivers who compromise public and officer safety.

“The distinctiveness of the black and white cruiser makes it a high visibility feature of the directed enforcement program that is part of our all-out focus on traffic safety,” explained Commissioner Fantino.

Higher visibility and public recognition of black and white police car markings are factors that contribute to improved officer and public safety in traffic enforcement and general patrol duties.

“We appreciate Ford of Canada’s support for this initiative and are pleased that the first OPP black and whites are coming off the line here,” said Commissioner Fantino.

Mark Boldin, plant manager, Ford St. Thomas Assembly Plant said, “It makes everyone at St. Thomas Assembly feel proud to know that approximately 80 percent of police vehicles across North America are built right here in St. Thomas.”

Over the years, the OPP has used several variations of the black and white tradition. In 1989, the all-white cruisers with blue and gold striping were initiated and by 1993, the black and white vehicles were completely phased out. The OPP maintains a fleet of approximately 1,200 general patrol cars.


FAILURE TO PROVIDE CHARGES FOR LOCAL MAN

Elliot Lake, Ont.

On January 19th, 2007 at approximately 9:54 p.m., while on general patrol an officer was stopped on the shoulder of the road on Highway 108 in Elliot Lake when he noticed a truck pull up in front of the stopped cruiser. The officer attended the truck to ascertain if the driver required assistance. While speaking with the driver the officer noted the smell of an alcoholic beverage.

After several tries by police, to obtain a breath sample into a roadside-screening device from the suspect, the East Algoma OPP charged Kevin BEHNKE (30) of Elliot Lake with Failure to Provide a Breath Sample. BEHNKE is scheduled to appear in court on March 6th, 2007.