Ontario Keeping Communities Safe in the Northwest
Province providing OPP Northwest Region with more resources to monitor and enforce bail conditions
DRYDEN — The Ontario government is providing $1,875,385 over three years to the OPP Northwest Region, servicing the police service boards of; Atikokan, Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout, Shuniah, Kenora, Dryden, Red Lake, Marathon, Terrace Bay, Treaty Three Police, Anishnabek Police Service, and Nishnawbe Aski Police Service. This funding will help prevent repeat and violent offenders from committing serious crimes while out on bail and is part of the province’s plan to help protect communities, support victims of crime and keep people safe.
“Our government remains committed to the safety and security of residents and families in Dryden and across the Northwest,” said Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora – Rainy River. “This funding through the Bail Compliance and Warrant Apprehension (BCWA) Grant program will ensure local police services have the supports they need to protect our communities from high risk and repeat offenders.”
Through the Bail Compliance and Warrant Apprehension (BCWA) Grant program, the government is investing $24 million across the province to help establish dedicated bail compliance and/or warrant apprehension teams to monitor high-risk individuals. The funding is being delivered over three years and will also support new technology for a province-wide bail compliance monitoring system.
“Investments such as this one, highlight our governments commitment to ensure our law enforcement agencies are properly supported in the district,” said Kevin Holland, Member of Provincial Parliament for Thunder Bay-Atikokan. “This funding provided through the BCWA Grant Program, will provide new resources to keep our communities across the region safe.”
“It is unacceptable that repeat and violent offenders are committing serious crimes while out on bail,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “By giving police the tools they need to track and arrest offenders who violate their bail conditions, our government is helping to ensure Ontario is one of the safest jurisdictions in Canada.”
“Today’s announcement will provide all 9 OPP Detachments throughout the Region as well as Treaty Three Police Service (T3PS), Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS), Anishinabek Police Service (APS), and other policing partners the ability to efficiently track and manage offenders who pose a high risk to the communities in the region,” said Chief Superintendent Bryan Mackillop, Regional Commander for North West Region. “With Ontario and the Northwest Region experiencing an increase in the rate of serious, violent re-offending by individuals who have been released on bail, the BCWA grant will allow a continued focus on solidifying intelligence-led partnerships to better track and manage offenders. Positions will be strategically placed in OPP Detachment locations alongside criminal investigative units. In addition, analysts will provide region-wide tracking, providing a unique and transformative level of information sharing and coordination between all policing partners.”
The BCWA Grant is part of a $112 million investment to strengthen the province’s bail system and ensure repeat and violent offenders comply with their bail and court-ordered conditions. Other initiatives include:
- The creation of a Bail Compliance Unit within the OPP’s Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (ROPE) Squad
- The establishment of Intensive Serious Violent Crime Bail Teams within the court system
- A new province-wide bail compliance dashboard to help monitor high-risk offenders with the most accurate data possible
The BCWA Grant program will support 17 municipal police services, four First Nations police services and 12 Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) services.
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