Local police find half-a-million dollars

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

*********************** Orazietti announces $512,472 to support additional police officers in Sault Ste. Marie McGuinty government making Ontario communities safer

Sault Ste. Marie - (January 22) - The McGuinty government is enhancing community safety in Sault Ste. Marie as it delivers on its commitment to provide $512,472 for additional police officers David Orazietti, MPP announced today.

"We're giving police the tools and resources they need to do their jobs and keep Sault Ste. Marie safe," said Orazietti.

"With our government's support the local police service has been able to put additional officers on the streets to better serve our community," he said.

David Orazietti announced funding totaling $512,472 to Sault Ste. Marie Police Chief Robert Davies on behalf of Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Rick Bartolucci.

This amount represents the first installment for this fiscal year of the province's share of the annual salary costs for the additional front-line police officers hired by the local police service.

"Under the province's community policing partnership program the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service now has completed hiring and training eight additional new officers," said Chief Robert Davies, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service. "As a result, uniform street patrols will be augmented this year and greatly assist the service in addressing calls for service."

"In particular, increased attention will be given to aggressive drivers and community street patrols," Davies said.

The McGuinty government has committed $68 million in annual funding to help communities pay the salary related costs of over 2,000 additional police officers across the province in perpetuity.

"Community safety is a priority for the McGuinty government and residents of Sault Ste. Marie deserve to feel safe and be safe," said Bartolucci. "We're pleased to help Sault Ste. Marie and other communities across Ontario hire more police officers."

"This means more police officers patrolling our streets, more officers tackling the problem of guns and gangs and more officers helping to make our communities safer and stronger," Bartolucci said. ***********************