Mayor Marolyn Morrison — New OPP station is a symbol of cooperation in Caledon

June 20, 2013 · 0 Comments

This week, we officially opened the new OPP Caledon Detachment station on Innis Lake Road.
I can tell you this was an exciting moment for our community, because this building reflects the hard work and dedication of so many people. In my opinion, the OPP building is an important community facility. It is a centre of public safety; and the place where community organizations meet with policing professionals to develop innovative solutions to make our community better.
There are so many instances of cooperation, teamwork and volunteerism that make Caledon the kind of place that people want to live, work and raise their families in. Public safety is certainly one of our residents’ top priorities and our community has come together to deal with many difficult challenges. Obviously, much of this work takes place at the OPP Detachment in Caledon and here are a few examples.
Very near and dear to my heart is the incredibly successful Road Watch program, one that began right here in Caledon in January 1995. In response to a tragic collision that occurred in our community, Road Watch has evolved from a local to a national program that saves lives and it began with volunteers, OPP Caledon members, our own Town of Caledon personnel and corporate sponsors.
The Policing Advisory Council of Caledon (PACC) develops and maintains important partnerships between the Town of Caledon, the community at large and the Ontario Provincial Police in Caledon in order to identify and resolve community and individual concerns related to public safety. PACC began nearly a decade ago and remains a vital and significant part of the fabric of community safety in Caledon. It is comprised of both professionals and community volunteers.
The incredibly successful DARE program works with educators, parents, and our OPP officers. This program is about helping children make “good choices.” It is not just about drugs, tobacco use or drinking too much, although those are certainly important themes. But there are a lot of tough choices young people have to make in life. The DARE program helps them develop the life skills to make the right choices.
And finally, the new GREAT program, an exciting new initiative that educates children on criminal behaviors and the effects of gang involvement. This project teaches students in Grade 7 about helping their community and thinking of others. It focuses on family values and the importance of helping and respecting themselves and others. Another wonderful program started right here in Caledon!
Caledon’s success as a safe community is enviable, provincially, nationally and, I would proudly submit, internationally. This reputation and our Town’s success is a result of our whole community making a commitment to public safety. It is based on cooperation, collaboration and mutual respect for the work that each of us do in contributing to our community’s safety. The new OPP building is truly a reflection of our community’s commitment and I was proud to participate in the official opening this week.