By Staff
April 17th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
A statement from the Regional Police sets out how they plan to respond to the decisions made on Friday by the provincial government.
Premier Doug Ford referring to data prepared by the Science \table during his media event on Friday.
On April 16, 2021, the Government of Ontario announced new restrictions, including a two-week extension of the current province-wide shutdown, in order to curb the concerning transmission rates of COVID-19. The Stay-at-Home order requires everyone to remain home except for essential travel such as grocery and pharmacy needs, health care services, outdoor exercise, and work.
The Government of Ontario also announced enhanced enforcement measures for provincial offences officers, including police officers, under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA).
The Halton Regional Police Service is reviewing the new regulations. At this time, our current enforcement response will remain the same, with a focus on the 4 Es:
• Engage
• Explain
• Educate
• Enforce
We will continue to work with our Municipal By-law partners and Public Health officials to respond to complaints and support proactive efforts to raise awareness. Our focus will remain on education and using enforcement only as a last resort.
We would like to reassure our community that our officers will not be conducting random stops of vehicles or individuals.
With the healthcare system at critical capacity, the Halton Regional Police Service continues to urge residents to take personal responsibility to follow all restrictions to limit the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.
Let’s do this, Halton. Continue to be kind to one another. Many people are struggling with the duration of these restrictions and are very isolated. Ask people how they are doing. Then, ask them how they are really doing. A list of mental health supports and resources is available here.
As a final note, on behalf of every member of our Service, we extend our thanks to all essential workers and the frontline healthcare heroes of Ontario who are risking their lives every day to protect us all.
Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner
Chief Stephen Tanner added a personal note: “We will always be committed to the safety, protection and security of the entire community.
It is my hope and expectation that our officers will not be put in the position of having to use enforcement as a mechanism to achieve what should occur through voluntary compliance. That is why we are committed to engage, explain and educate our public and we will resort to enforcement only as a last resort.
We will not be stopping vehicles or individuals randomly but will respond as required and when necessary. It is my hope that our citizens will continue to work cooperatively with us and with all levels of government throughout the weeks and months ahead.”
It is good that the police have decided not to go along with using these new and completely unacceptable and illegal powers. Now if they would just arrest Ford and his idiot band of cronies for crimes against humanity they would be doing something useful.
Doug Ford and his cronies are back peddling. My only hope is that people remember this disaster in 6 months!
It appears that police forces have uniformly rejected this task that has unilaterally been thrust upon them. Good. It is now clear that the Ford cabinet has completely lost it, making up new policies on the fly with no meaningful leadership, or informed advice., and generally thrashing around desperately. We have a toothless Medical Officer, an Education Minister whose only qualification is that he once went to school himself, a Minister of Long Term Care who seems to have dodged any responsibility for the devastation her clients have suffered. Let’s not forget our Solicitor General, former journalist, now in charge of the rules. Led by, well, another qualified small businessman. What could go wrong? We are on our own, folks.
It is a sad state of affairs that enforced enhancement would have to be considered.