OPP looking to add to its auxiliary forces

Sometimes the duties of an auxiliary officers are fun, such as when they helped with Smile Cookie Day at the Tim Hortons on Oxford Street. (Contributed Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Oxford OPP is looking to add to its auxiliary ranks.

The detachment is holding a drop-in recruiting event in Tillsonburg on Wednesday, Aug. 20 from 1 to 8 p.m. at the Tim Hortons at 560 Broadway. The purpose of the event is to add to the detachment’s auxiliary force.

Auxiliary police officers are volunteers, but do receive a stipend similar to a volunteer firefighter. Auxiliary officers don’t have police authority, but are vital in enhancing the OPP presence in the community. According to the OPP web site, auxiliary officers “assist in the delivery of traffic safety and community-based crime prevention initiatives as well as to perform police duties only in special circumstances, including an emergency that OPP provincial constables are not sufficiently numerous to deal with."

“They can go on ride-alongs with officers,” said Const. Randi Crawford, Oxford’s community safety and media relations officer and one of two auxiliary liaisons for the detachment. “The other part is community engagement events like TurtleFest or Cram the Cruiser. The goal is for someone in uniform to have time for those engagements with the community.”

Oxford County OPP currently have 12 auxiliary officers. The ideal complement for the detachment is 30 officers.

“We’re so fortunate in Oxford we have so many community events and our community partners,” Crawford said.

A recruiting coffee event is planned for later in August to try to promote more people joining the ranks. In addition, officers try to encourage people to join auxiliaries.

“Any time we have an interaction with a person who would be a great candidate, we talk to them about it,” Crawford said.

Speaking more about the ride-alongs, Crawford explained this is optional and if there is a situation that is dicey, the auxiliaries are asked to remain in the vehicle.

“We never put anyone in a situation where their life is threatened, however there is still an element of risk anytime you go out with an officer,” she said.

One of the great things with auxiliary is it is often used as a stepping stone to being hired by the OPP as a constable or any of the other roles.

Auxiliary officers must put in at least 10 hours per month. There is an application process, available online at opp.ca, that includes an evaluation, followed by a week of training in Orillia at the OPP provincial headquarters, and monthly training.

“We have many officers with us now that have no aspirations to be an officer, dispatcher or anything like that, they just want to be part of the organization,” she said.

There are also opportunities for advancements with auxiliaries having a rank structure.