(Queen’s Park) – Garfield Dunlop, P.C. Critic for Community Safety and Correctional Services, today criticized the McGuinty government for breaking its election promise to “put 1,000 new officers on the street for community policing”.

In a speech to the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police this morning, the Premier mentioned that only 500 of the 1,000 new officers will be dedicated to community policing, while the remaining 500 will focus on six other policing areas.

“Dalton McGuinty has clearly broken his most significant policing promise,” said Dunlop. “For any additional duties beyond community policing, the Premier needed to announce even more officers, above and beyond the 1,000 he promised during the election.”

The Premier also confirmed during media availability after his speech that his government would commit only $30 million over three years to the hiring of the 1,000 officers, leaving municipalities to pick up the tab. He also admitted that the cost-sharing arrangement with municipalities and other major details are yet to be determined.

“The true cost of hiring 1,000 new police officers is actually $100 million, because Dalton McGuinty promised to pay the full cost in his election platform,” said Dunlop. “The money he announced today is a pittance, and I’m truly surprised, after all the media hype beforehand, that he would waste the valuable time of Ontario’s police chiefs with a speech that was nothing more than the Premier giving himself an undeserved pat on the back.”

Contacts:
Garfield Dunlop
(705) 327-4500 (cell)