ANTI-FORTIFICATION BYLAW PLANNED

GUELPH - A man's home might be his castle, as the old adage states,
but it could soon be against the law for him to dig a moat. Or erect
a cement block wall, drawbridge, or install booby traps.

County council voted unanimously on May 25 to support a Police
Services Board recommendation that county solicitor Hugh Guthrie
prepare an anti-fortifications bylaw for consideration.

Passing such a bylaw is not going to be easy, though. First, all
seven lower tier municipalities will have to agree with the bylaw.

Police Services Board liaison John Green presented the report to
county council, and said the proposed bylaw has to do with people
trying to shield and protect themselves and their criminal activities
from police.

Green said the board has received presentations from a number of
experts prior to deciding the bylaw is needed. He admitted that with
the bylaw police would have "some rights we don't normally have."

Chief Administrative Officer Scott Wilson, the secretary of the
Police Services Board, explained that bylaw would prevent people such
as grow operators from providing huge amounts of security for houses
used for illegal activities.

He said the bylaw would help ensure that if police attempt to execute
a search warrant on a property, they do not run into booby traps or
cement walls.

One councillor seemed to approve. "How soon can we expect this at the
township?" asked Mayor Clint Martin.

Green said that depends on OPP Inspector Steve Walsh and Guthrie.

"The sooner the better," said Martin.

Wilson said Guthrie has already prepared a draft bylaw for lower tier
municipalities. He added he has already arranged to meet with Chief
Administrative Officers from county municipalities June 16 to explain
the bylaw to them.

Officially, Walsh said in an interview, there are no outlaw biker
gangs based in Wellington County, although he did note that "They
visit here regularly, but they don't have a clubhouse."

Walsh added, though, that the bylaw could apply in numerous other
cases where neighbours erect strong fortifications, or a neighbour
who takes extra strong security measures for a property.