The Avon Maitland District School Board has reached an agreement with Huron County OPP to provide officers with office space in the high schools in Exeter and Wingham.
The OPP closed their offices in Exeter and Wingham last year, against the advice of the Mayor of Exeter and the Reeve of Wingham. They later asked the municipalities for office space to allow officers who worked in those municipalities to do administrative work. Those requests were denied.
Avon Maitland Communications Manager, Chera Longston explains, the agreement allows the OPP to use an office in each of the high schools. "So we have an agreement with Huron OPP to use an office in the schools for administrative purposes. So it will be utilized by OPP staff when they're in need of space to complete paper work or other administrative tasks as required by their position."
Longston points out, the offices in the high schools will not be used for the purpose of monitoring students. "The use of this space will not be used for the purpose of monitoring students, but if a need were to arise and they were present, they may be called to assist. But if the officers need to interact with the students for any reason directly, then arrangements would first have to be made with the principal."
Longston also points out, the office space in the high schools would not allow members of the public, or even teachers or students, to drop in and discuss issues, it is strictly for the officers to complete reports and other administrative work. Longston says it's expected the OPP will be in those offices when the school year begins in September.
