MORE DOWNTOWN PATROL COPS

City police plan to dedicate four officers to downtown patrol this summer to improve response times

Peterborough Police will have four new dedicated officers patrolling the downtown this summer, DBIA members heard at a meeting Wednesday night.

“We’re really glad that, as a parting gift, Chief Rodd has given us these officers,” said Terry Guiel, executive director of the DBIA, at the annual general meeting on Wednesday evening at Showplace.

Police Chief Murray Rodd retired Thursday.

The new chief, Scott Gilbert – who comes from Toronto Police – was sworn in on Wednesday afternoon in Peterborough and starts work July 1.

Guiel said the new downtown patrol starts July 4 and will continue to the end of August.

Gilbert was in the crowd at the meeting Wednesday, as were Deputy Police Chief Tim Farquharson and Insp. Dan Smith.

In an interview, Farquharson said police have been patrolling the downtown for years.

But Peterborough Police are busy and officers assigned to the downtown are often expected to leave at a moment’s notice to attend to other calls.

That won’t be the case with these four officers, Farquharson said – they will be a dedicated patrol.

They can manage it because it counts as community policing, which is typically done in the form of school visits.

While school’s out for summer, Farquharson said, this will be their community focus – and if it works well, they will consider ways to manage it through the year.

Farquharson also said the officers will do “proactive” work – meaning they will spot-check businesses and apartment buildings where owners have said there are problems.

“From skateboarders and cyclists on sidewalks to human trafficking – they’ll do it all,” Farquharson said.

Guiel emphasized at the meeting that the downtown is safe – although not everyone sees it that way.

“It’s not that it’s crime we deal with – it’s perception,” he said. “We need a few officers downtown to reassure people.”