Ontario police are not ‘politicized’

Re: The Measure Of McGuinty, editorial, June 27. The writer of this editorial has a lot of nerve to talk of “politicized” policing in relation to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) response to the douglas Creek estates dispute in Caledonia Ont.

Since April 2006, the OPP has laid 191 criminal charges against 96 persons relating to the douglas Creek estates dispute. Police investigations have resulted in charges ranging from property related offences up to and including attempted murder. The OPP has exercised the proper use of police discretion in the interests of public and officer safety. rather than inflame a volatile situation, police will sometimes gather evidence and wait for a safer time to make an arrest. The proper use of police discretion should not be confused with lack of enforcement.

At no time during my tenure as either deputy Commissioner or Commissioner has any Premier or member of provincial government attempted to direct police operations of the OPP.

The OPP recognizes the Charter rights of everyone to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The overall OPP objective is to work with all parties to ensure public and officer safety and to maintain orderly conduct. The OPP has no role to play in resolution of the underlying issues.

Since February of 2006 to the present, the OPP has responded to, or assisted in the response to, at least 500 aboriginal critical incidents.

Given the circumstances, it is remarkable that there were no deaths, few injuries and public safety was maintained. The results speak for themselves. Chris D. Lewis, Commissioner, Ontario Provincial Police, Orillia, Ont.