When the Town of Amherstburg signs a contract for policing in the town, it won't be with the Windsor Police.
Mayor Michael Prue said the town asked the Windsor Police Services Board if it could have a seat on the board and a vote. The answer was no, and Prue thinks that's unacceptable.
"We said that if we were to continue, we would want a seat on the board and be treated like all the other citizen participants, and we were told no. We would not have a seat on the board," said Prue. "There's no sense in further discussion."
Prue admitted he often watches the board meeting on Zoom since there's little point in driving to Windsor for a meeting he says he can't participate in. He also believes the arrangement puts Amherstburg residents at a disadvantage.
"When something comes up about Amherstburg, anything to do with the taxes, or the rates, or the number of police officers -- a whole bunch of things, I'm asked to leave the room," explained Prue. "I'm not even part of that discussion."
The town has three other options to consider. It could partner with LaSalle Police Services, sign a contract with the Ontario Provincial Police, or bring back the town's own policing service.
Prue hopes to narrow the town's options down further before taking one or two to councillors for discussion early in the new year.
"If we belonged to the OPP, we would have a seat on the board. If we joined with LaSalle -- we have told them we would expect a seat on the board and they said we would have one," said Prue. "If we set up our own police force, we would have multiple seats on the board. But the only one where you have no say is Windsor."
Amherstburg had its own policing service, but disbanded it in 2018. At the time, the reasoning was that the town could partner with Windsor Police Services at a lower cost. Town councillors reconsidered the contract with Windsor Police when the price of the contract increased.
Prue said the partnership with Windsor Police didn't pan out the way the town had hoped.
"It's very disappointing," said Prue. "I don't think that's what we signed on for. At least most of us didn't realize we were signing on for that."
Amherstburg's contract with the Windsor Police Service terminates on January 1, 2028.