An encouraging face-to-face meeting with Durham Regional Police Services (DRPS) East Division Inspector and Staff Sergeant this week. Hats off to both for being most obliging and informative.
A must add: after participating in so many city 'virtual' meetings these past months, it was great to feel the energy in the room and share smiles with new acquaintances. Oh yes we were social distanced in the large meeting room at the East Division headquarters on Hwy 2 and Maple Grove. Five of us were in attendance, including both a City of Oshawa Traffic Engineering Technologist and an Oshawa Ward 1 resident who is a member of the DRPS community advisory committee.
This meeting came about when I called to complain about:
1) Oshawa residents' frustration getting through on the main DRPS non-emergency switchboard number, especially in the evening. Imo it seems the DRPS call intake/dispatch system for non-emergency calls needs some STREAMLINING;
2) problems related to the fact that community policing for the City of OSHAWA IS DIVIDED AMONG 4 OF THE 5 DURHAM POLICE DIVISIONS, and the clear inefficiencies and lack of focus related to Oshawa Ward I in particular being divided among 3 Divisions;
3) the serious number of speeding and vehicle excessive noise concerns in Oshawa's Ward 1.
The Staff Sergeant invited me to come in for a discussion with the East Division Inspector and I am appreciative.
Good news: DRPS is discussing a realignment of the 5 Divisions boundaries. Imo it cannot happen fast enough and the change should be along municipal boundaries and at the very least along Ward boundaries.
DRPS boundaries were last changed in 2015 when the East Division 47,000 sq. ft. headquarters was being built.
Of the Region's eight municipalities, it seems Oshawa is the only municipality that is divided among FOUR of the FIVE DRPS Divisions. I am trying to put together a map for a visual of this.
Even though the main switchboard number (905 579-1520) for all non-emergency calls is accessible 24/7, the intake-dispatch process is problematic especially outside daytime hours. There is no assurance if you are transferred to Central West, North or East Divisions anyone will answer after 5 p.m. Sometimes the phone line just rings with no opportunity to leave a message. And there is no email, it seems because of the liability if someone were to leave an emergency message instead of calling 911,
During our meeting it was confirmed that north east Oshawa, which is WARD 1, is where the most traffic "HOT SPOTS" are in DPRS East Division.
Other Good News: the DRPS East Division Traffic Safety Coordinator position, which has been vacant since March, has just been filled with the Constable assigned starting September 21st.
A must add: after participating in so many city 'virtual' meetings these past months, it was great to feel the energy in the room and share smiles with new acquaintances. Oh yes we were social distanced in the large meeting room at the East Division headquarters on Hwy 2 and Maple Grove. Five of us were in attendance, including both a City of Oshawa Traffic Engineering Technologist and an Oshawa Ward 1 resident who is a member of the DRPS community advisory committee.
This meeting came about when I called to complain about:
1) Oshawa residents' frustration getting through on the main DRPS non-emergency switchboard number, especially in the evening. Imo it seems the DRPS call intake/dispatch system for non-emergency calls needs some STREAMLINING;
2) problems related to the fact that community policing for the City of OSHAWA IS DIVIDED AMONG 4 OF THE 5 DURHAM POLICE DIVISIONS, and the clear inefficiencies and lack of focus related to Oshawa Ward I in particular being divided among 3 Divisions;
3) the serious number of speeding and vehicle excessive noise concerns in Oshawa's Ward 1.
The Staff Sergeant invited me to come in for a discussion with the East Division Inspector and I am appreciative.
Good news: DRPS is discussing a realignment of the 5 Divisions boundaries. Imo it cannot happen fast enough and the change should be along municipal boundaries and at the very least along Ward boundaries.
DRPS boundaries were last changed in 2015 when the East Division 47,000 sq. ft. headquarters was being built.
Of the Region's eight municipalities, it seems Oshawa is the only municipality that is divided among FOUR of the FIVE DRPS Divisions. I am trying to put together a map for a visual of this.
Even though the main switchboard number (905 579-1520) for all non-emergency calls is accessible 24/7, the intake-dispatch process is problematic especially outside daytime hours. There is no assurance if you are transferred to Central West, North or East Divisions anyone will answer after 5 p.m. Sometimes the phone line just rings with no opportunity to leave a message. And there is no email, it seems because of the liability if someone were to leave an emergency message instead of calling 911,
During our meeting it was confirmed that north east Oshawa, which is WARD 1, is where the most traffic "HOT SPOTS" are in DPRS East Division.
Other Good News: the DRPS East Division Traffic Safety Coordinator position, which has been vacant since March, has just been filled with the Constable assigned starting September 21st.