The Downtown Orillia Management Board (DOMB) is hoping a meeting with police will lead to a formal plan for foot patrols in the city’s core.
The DOMB wrote a letter to the Orillia Police Services Board, requesting a meeting with Orillia OPP Insp. Veronica Eaton, Mayor Steve Clarke as well as other members of council and city staff to “discuss and develop a schedule for dedicated foot patrol in the downtown.”
“Last summer, they weren’t out as much. We did notice them out less and they were missed,” DOMB manager Lisa Thomson-Roop told OrilliaMatters.
The board brought that up with Orillia OPP and saw an increase in foot patrols in the fall, but Thomson-Roop wants to make sure there’s a greater police presence downtown this summer, too.
“We heard (from merchants) that we needed to see more uniformed police officers just walking around and addressing any issues,” she said.
Thomson-Roop said she understands police have certain constraints, and that’s why the board wants to have the meeting.
“It’ll give us a view of what kinds of challenges they’re facing,” she said.
The DOMB will also discuss ways it can help, including having police use its office “as a base for officers when needed.”
“If they need a home base, if they need to do some computer work, we’re open to that,” Thomson-Roop said, noting the goal of the meeting is to “meet in the middle.”
Orillia OPP officials were not available for comment Thursday.
