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Ontario Police College cancels training session

Apr 05 2013

AYLMER - The Ontario Police College has cancelled its spring training class after a lack of recruits sent to the facility by the forces hiring them.

Normally each session would see about 350 new recruits, but the spring class had approximately 60.

Police forces hire potential constables and then send them to the facility in Aylmer for training but thanks to budget cuts at municipalities across the province, demand for new hires is down.

April 11, 2013  By Corrie Sloot


Apr 05 2013

AYLMER – The Ontario Police College has cancelled its spring training class after a lack of recruits sent to the facility by the forces hiring them.

Normally each session would see about 350 new recruits, but the spring class had approximately 60.

Police forces hire potential constables and then send them to the facility in Aylmer for training but thanks to budget cuts at municipalities across the province, demand for new hires is down.

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Toronto has its own training college but smaller centres (which would have smaller recruiting classes) send recruits to Aylmer to maximize cost efficiency.

Toronto Police Association President Mike MacCormack said this highlights problems facing police sectors across Ontario.

He believes budget pressures facing police services in larger municipalities are now showing up in smaller cities and towns across Ontario.

“It looks like it’s happening more on a provincial basis, not only in Toronto…but with the OPP for instance with the way that the governments and sectors are looking at policing,” says McCormack.

London, ON, Police Chief Brad Duncan told Newstalk 1290 that times are changing and police forces don’t have the budget for new hires.

He says some police services are not able to grow to meet demands and are reducing programs.

(Newstalk 1010)


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