Police to close Burlington substation at end of April. Short notice.

News 100 blueBy Staff

April 28th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton Regional Police Service has decided to close its Burlington substation at the end of the month.

No time for public feedback with what amounts to a couple of days’ notice.  City Councillor Marianne Meed Ward has said she did have discussions with the police over this matter,  She does not appear to have taken that conversation to her community.

HRPS crestThe police report that there was extensive internal and external review.

The substation, located at 760 Brant Street south of Ghent Street, opened in 2007 when 3 District moved from its former downtown location on Locust Street to Constable Henshaw Boulevard.

Since that time, the number of people attending the substation has been on the decline. In 2016, only six reports were generated from visitors; the vast majority stopped to ask for directions or to turn in found property.

The decrease in attendance can be largely attributed to advances in technology which have changed the way members of the public interact with the Service. Key among these is social media like Twitter and Facebook which enable users to obtain information and advice on a range of police-related matters.

In Halton, other advances include the introduction of online crime reporting, a mobile app for iOS and Android and Text to 9-1-1. All – in addition to traditional 9-1-1 for emergencies and crimes in progress or 905-825-4777 for non-emergencies – make it possible for people to receive 24 hour a day, seven day a week police support without having to attend a police station.

Truth be told the sub-station was not always open.

The police do not anticipate the closure of the Burlington substation to impact the ability of those in need to get the right response, at the right time, by the right responders.

“Our mission, as it has been for several years now, is to provide effective and efficient community policing service,” said Superintendent Al Albano, Commander of 3 District in Burlington.

“By freeing officers from behind their desks, we have more flexibility to respond to the ever-changing needs of our community.”

Decisions regarding HRPS facilities support the goals laid out in the Service’s 2017-2019 Corporate Business Plan. The Plan and additional information on the aforementioned programs is available at www.haltonpolice.ca.

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4 comments to Police to close Burlington substation at end of April. Short notice.

  • Allen Jones

    I too have arrived at the sub-station only to find it closed. So after awhile one simply stops going. I guess now I can stop even trying. Problem solved. Thank you Halton. Your tax dollars at work – less for more.
    Allen Jones

  • Stephen White

    Public officials have an obligation to provide alternate mediums of communication to get critical information in the hands of residents. They also need to be mindful of the fact that not everyone has access to all communication modes. Under the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act they also have a legal obligation to provide critical information in alternate forms particularly for those who are disabled (e.g. TYY, Braille, etc.). One would think that those working in the Communications Department at Halton Regional Police Services would be more sensitive to this fact.

    As for closing the sub-station upon short notice it is just the latest in an ongoing problem with City and Region officials. Advance consultation is by-passed in the name of expediency. Given the number of seniors living downtown, as well as the number of bars and restaurants, one would think that having a sub-station staffed with appropriate resources would make good sense. It doesn’t say much about the degree of commitment to community policing.

  • Elise

    I am one of the few (or many) people who refuse to join the social media collective, preferring to keep my personal details just that. However, it seems more and more that people like me are being sideswiped when it comes to information, contests, contacts etc… because we choose not to communicate in this fashion. I have lost count of the number of times I have found myself excluded from certain communications because I do not “tweet”. How often I hear the phrase “please contact us on twitter” or “further information can be obtained from our facebook site”. I would ask that retailers, medical professionals, law enforcement etc… keep open alternate lines of communication for people like me – there are more of us than you realize!!!

  • Penny

    As you indicated in your article the sub-station was closed more than it was open. There was no signage visible from the street to indicate it was even there. Occasionally one would see the police car parked in front.

    My take is that the sub-station was there to appease residents when the police station moved. There are many people in the downtown that are not able to use twitter and Facebook. Social media seems to be the answer when replacing customer service.