546 Niagara St., Box 250 Wyoming, Ontario N0N 1T0 Phone 519-845-3939  Fax 519-845-0597

-top-
         Plympton-Wyoming
O.P.P. Community Policing
(Contact / Report Concerns)

                                                                                    Upcoming Meeting Date
- WANTED -

     The mandate and purpose of the Community Policing is to create a partnership with the local public residents to solve localized problems or make specific improvements that enhance the overall quality of life in our community. The partnership may be with an individual, a block of residents or a neighbourhood at a time.

     The Community Policing is intended to increase a sense of responsibility for personal safety and problem solving among our citizens and shifts from a predominantly reactive response to service calls, to proactive problem solving and increases effectiveness at resolving community-wide problems.

     The most fundamental reason for shifting to a Community Policing and problem-solving program is acknowledging that the police can’t solve all community problems by themselves. Community Policing requires the majority of the community to accept personal responsibility for personal safety and solving problems in their neighbourhoods with the support of the police and other government agencies.

     Community Policing is a collaborative effort between the police and the community that identifies problems of crime and disorder and involves all elements of the community in the search for solutions to these problems. It is founded on close, mutually beneficial ties between police and community members.

     Plympton-Wyoming has very few members attending their Community Policing Committee meetings. Our meetings are posted by notices at both post offices and various businesses in the Camlachie and Wyoming area and at the Municipal Web Site. We need community residents to take an interest in this partnership created with the OPP policing our municipality and attend meetings on a regular basis, interested in becoming involved and participating with the activities from the meetings and continue to attend meetings - not just once to air complaints and then never to show up at again.

     This partnership needs to be stronger for the system to work as it is intended as well as to be beneficial to the community. The Community Policing Officers from the Petrolia OPP Detachment have been actively committed to their responsibilities of the partnership with their continued attendance and support at Committee Meetings since 1994 even though the community interest continues to be very low. Officers trained in specialized crime areas have been invited and have attended meetings to help promote community interest in the Committee.

Example of items of concern for our Community Policing Committee could be -

     This list is only a few concerns and the list could become endless. If you can relate to any one item listed, or have a concern not listed above, your input/help is needed. We meet about 5 times per year and alternate meetings in Camlachie at the Fire Hall and in Wyoming at the Municipal Office to accommodate residents. We need to strengthen the community side of this partnership with membership participation from the local community residents. If we make Community Policing strong and actively working in our community, Community Policing can offer a way for law enforcement to help re-energize our community. Developing a strong, self-sufficient community, is an essential step in creating an atmosphere in which serious crime will not flourish.