By Pepper Parr
August 13th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
We got a call from a reader asking why the Burlington Police detachment wasn’t open full time.
We were advised this morning that the Halton District Police Service put in a policy that became effective September 1st, 2017 to limit the hours of operation in Milton and Burlington to the following:
3 District Burlington (30 Division)
3800 Constable Henshaw Blvd. Burlington, ON
Operating hours 8:00am -10:00pm
1 District Milton (12 Division)
490 Childs Drive Milton, ON
Operating hours 8:00am -10:00pm
1 District Georgetown (11 Division)
217 Guelph Street Georgetown, ON
Operating hours 8:00am -7:00pm
20 Division in Oakville will remain open to the public 24 hours a day.
The Community Rooms will not be available to the public once the station has closed for the evening.
A public intercom will be located at the front door of the respective stations. This intercom will provide immediate contact with our police communications. This feature will be available during off- hours.
hours of operation will be in place seven days a week:
The police sub-station on Brant Street was closed on April 30th, 2017. The public was made aware of the change a few days before the bureau closed. The police reported that in 2016, only six reports were generated from visitors; the vast majority stopped to ask for directions or to turn in found property.
The decrease in attendance, police said, “can be largely attributed to advances in technology which have changed the way members of the public interact with the Service. Key among these is social media like Twitter and Facebook which enable users to obtain information and advice on a range of police-related matters.”
“In Halton, other advances include the introduction of online crime reporting, mobile apps Text to 9-1-1. All – in addition to traditional 9-1-1 for emergencies and crimes in progress or 905-825-4777 for non-emergencies – make it possible for people to receive 24 hour a day, seven day a week police support without having to attend a police station.”
The idea of a police officer on a beat is a thing of the past.
The Police Services Board oversees the service and approves the budget. There are representatives from each municipality as well as a provincial appointee.
Police services are not cheap. The “gross” budget number are:
2018 = $150,070,809
2017 = $144,940,030
2016 = $139,714,700
There is a brand new police headquarters for the Region sitting on a rise overlooking the QEW that is yards away from the current police operations building that is now more than a year late in opening.
A little late in opening – communications has to be fully operational before the rest of the force moves in.
The $65-million, 235,000 square foot facility was approved in January 2015.
The new structure, located on the same regional property at 1151 Bronte Rd., broke ground in October of that year. It was to be completed in late August or early September of 2017
The new headquarters is considerably larger than the existing 86,000-square-foot headquarters facility.
No comment from the police when the Gazette asks: why the delay?”
