ORILLIA OFFICERS DO MORE WITH LESS

Board Hears Orillia OPP Caseload Rivals Larger Detachments

Orillia OPP officers are slashing violent-crime statistics like
detachments double the size.

That's what Det.-Sgt. Paul McCrickard told the Orillia Police
Services Board at its monthly meeting yesterday.

"The amount of work we're doing, if you look at our numbers of
violent crime, we are ahead of other detachments in this region, and
yet we do the work with the same number of detectives that the others
have," said McCrickard, 41, who has 20 years of policing under his belt.

Last month, the board heard violent crime had spiked 92 per cent
compared to February 2005 statistics. March data show an 18 per cent
increase from 2005 to 2006.

Orillia OPP has eight full-time detectives in the crime unit.

In addition, the detachment has dedicated two officers to drug
enforcement who work with another from the Mnjikaning Police Service
and a fourth from the provincial drug enforcement unit.

"Violent crime is our No. 1 objective," said McCrickard.

"It is all related to drugs. The sexual assaults, the robberies and
break and enters all route back to drugs."