Council solidifies policing proposal requirements

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — At the council meeting of Tuesday, September 8, Leamington council approved the terms and outlines for the Request for Proposal for policing in the municipality.

MPM Consulting submitted the proposed outlines and requirements to council, along with administrations.

The RFP will include many issues, such as level of service, description of local oversight and the cost for services, with a heavier emphasis being put on level of service.

In July, council voted to go ahead with developing a Request for Proposal as they search for other service providers for policing.

The current OPP contract expires next May and the OPP are also free to file a proposal to enter into a new policing contract with Leamington.

Mike Mitchell from MPM consulting said that he took all comments and suggestions into account from a recent public survey on policing here and developed the RFP around it, creating an RFP specific to Leamington’s needs.

He also suggested a committee be formed, which would include himself as chair, along with two members of the public and two members of council, to evaluate the proposals that do come in. Council voted to accept the RFP as written and allow the process to get started.

Only Councillor John Jacobs voted against the motion.