- In my last post, POLICE EQUIPMENT SOLD FOR ONE DOLLAR, I explained my intention to talk about the Amherstburg-Windsor police contract, and how I intend to tackle it bit by bit, to inform the public, and not overwhelm people. I also talked about Amherstburg's police equipment, and about the fact that there are no savings on equipment under the policing contract with Windsor. In this post, I will deal with the radio system, dispatching, and the police station.
Under the contract, Amherstburg does not get a radio system from Windsor. Amherstburg must continue to maintain, and pay for, the Amherstburg radio system. This is set out in article 7.7 of the contract.
So Amherstburg taxpayers continue to pay for the radio system used by the Amherstburg detachment of the Windsor Police Department.
Amherstburg does not get free dispatching from Windsor either. The dispatching contract was actually awarded prior to the signing of the Amherstburg-Windsor contract. Amherstburg pays Windsor for dispatching. You must remember that the police officers are not Amherstburg police officers. They are officers of the Windsor Police Department, who are stationed in Amherstburg. So we are paying Windsor to dispatch their own officers.
Amherstburg does not get free dispatching from Windsor either. The dispatching contract was actually awarded prior to the signing of the Amherstburg-Windsor contract. Amherstburg pays Windsor for dispatching. You must remember that the police officers are not Amherstburg police officers. They are officers of the Windsor Police Department, who are stationed in Amherstburg. So we are paying Windsor to dispatch their own officers.
Amherstburg must also maintain and pay for all the costs associated with the Amherstburg Police Station. That is set out in article 7.4 of the contract.
Of course, Windsor does not own it. Amherstburg owns the police station. So in the end, there is no sharing of resources when it comes to the police station.
And in the end, Amherstburg doesn't get anything for free. Amherstburg used to pay for the cost of radio, dispatching and the police station. Amherstburg still pays for the cost of radio, dispatching and the police station under the Amherstburg-Windsor policing contract.
All of which is to say: There will be no financial savings under this contract when it comes to radio, dispatching, or the police station. If there are savings (which I doubt) they must be coming from somewhere else.
And in the end, Amherstburg doesn't get anything for free. Amherstburg used to pay for the cost of radio, dispatching and the police station. Amherstburg still pays for the cost of radio, dispatching and the police station under the Amherstburg-Windsor policing contract.
All of which is to say: There will be no financial savings under this contract when it comes to radio, dispatching, or the police station. If there are savings (which I doubt) they must be coming from somewhere else.