Police services board report does not include EZT stats

By Lee Griffi

Though a report on policing activities from the Oxford OPP’s police services board was included in the agenda package for East-Zorra Tavistock’s (EZT) council meeting Feb. 4, there was a notable absence of crime statistics from the township.

The Oxford OPP Detachment Board 2 report for the period of October to December 2025 contains many statistics, including the number of patrol hours, and types and numbers of police calls, but it doesn’t contain specific crime statistics for EZT. The board is made up of representatives from the rural townships of EZT, Blandford-Blenheim, Norwich, Southwest Oxford and Zorra, and last year replaced individual boards at each municipality.

“It provides us with a lot of information, which is good, but I would characterize most of it as generic, covering the larger geographic mass but no real specific data specific to our municipality,” said Coun. Jeremy Smith.

“There was a time not too long ago, we could easily find, through monthly reports, information specific to East Zorra-Tavistock. … Running totals for the month and year. I’m just wondering if there’s any way we can have township-specific data provided in addition to what we’re seeing here?”

Mayor Phil Schaefer flipped the questions over to Coun. Matthew Gillespie, EZT's representative on the police board.

“I wasn’t available to attend the last meeting. Typically, they do send out a township-specific report. I didn’t see one in the last package that was circulated to me, but that data had been available. As far as I know, the information is still available individually.”

Schaefer asked if Gillespie could follow up at the next police board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Smith also asked if the board had a full quota of members.

“I believe we are still waiting for a provincial appointment, but I have heard boards going years without (one). Other than that, it is at full complement,” said Gillespie.