Communities in Ontario will be better equipped to participate in the fight against impaired driving as a result of the McGuinty government’s announcement that it is doubling funding to police services to $2.4 million for this year’s Reduced Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) program.
 
The Ontario Association of Police Services Boards’ (OAPSB) President Mary Smiley commended the move announced by The Honourable Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services earlier this week. OAPSB and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) met with the Minister at their joint “Queen’s Park Day” on April 29, and outlined the ongoing concerns with the funding of the RIDE program that both organizations have held since 2004.
 
“The RIDE Program has consistently met with overwhelmingly positive feedback from both the policing community and the community at large, “ said Ms. Smiley. Despite the growing support for the program, and a significant rise in applications for consideration, funding levels had not kept pace. “The result was a continually reduced allocation for many of the original participating agencies, and an overall inability to effectively accomplish what is perceived to be the intent of the program—saving lives by keeping impaired drivers off our roads, “ Ms. Smiley explained.
 
Since the inception of the RIDE Grant Program in 1995, the funding allocated annually had remained unchanged at $1.2 million. Initially, the allocated funds were divided amongst 119 Ontario police agencies. This number has swelled to 172 in 2007, including municipal and First Nations police agencies, as well a various detachments of the Ontario Provincial Police.
“We are pleased that the Government of Ontario is responding to our request for more funding to continue this valuable program. This is a great step in the working partnership among the OAPSB, the OACP and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services,” she said. “More importantly, it provides the police services sector with a necessary tool to protect the people in our communities across Ontario.”
The OAPSB is a non-profit association that assists the province’s police services boards in discharging their duties of governance and oversight with the highest degree of integrity. As the voice of police services boards to government, the OAPSB's ongoing mission is to inform and enlighten those in government responsible for policing in Ontario so that they may better understand the governance perspective.
 
Contact:
Christina Bisanz, Executive Director
Ontario Association of Police Services Boards
905-458-1488
 
Ontario Association of Police Services Boards Names New Executives
 
The Ontario Association of Police Services Boards is pleased to advise the appointment of its new Executive Officers for 2008-2009. Elected at its annual general meeting held April 26, 2008 in Stratford, Ontario were:
 

President

Mary Smiley

Past President

Bernie Morelli

1st Vice-President

Cheryl Jamieson

2nd Vice-President

Dr. Alok Mukherjee

Secretary/Treasurer 

Mike Fenchak

                                                                                       
 
Also elected were the regional zone directors.
 
 
Zone 1

John St. Amand, Terrace Bay

Zone 1A

Laura Laraman, Timmins

Zone 2

Mary Smiley, Perth

Zone 3

Dave Aspden, Barrie

Zone 4

Mary Anne Silverthorn,
Oxford Community

Zone 5

Kevin Eccles, West Grey

Zone 6

Nick Dzudz, Windsor

Toronto

Dr. Alok Mukherjee, Toronto

Big 12

Bob Maich, Halton

Big 12

Henry Jensen, Ottawa

Big 12

Cheryl Jamieson, Peel

Big 12

Terry Clayton, Durham

Section 10 (North)

Don Smith, Shuniah

Section 10 (South)

Mike Fenchak, Town of Lakeshore

                                                                                                                                                          
This appointment represents a second term of office for Ms. Smiley who served previously as President of the OAPSB in 2004-2005.
 
“I am delighted to have been chosen once again to lead this great organization. It is an honour and a privilege to be provided this opportunity. I look forward to the year ahead as we tackle new and ongoing issues such as court security and while serving our membership with their needs and concerns.”

Ms. Smiley is also pleased to advise that Christina Bisanz has been appointed as the new Executive Director of OAPSB. Christina’s experience in senior level association management dealing with diverse memberships will enhance OAPSB’s membership services, government and stakeholder relationships.

Ms. Bisanz takes over the role of Executive Director from outgoing Executive Director, Barbara Hume-Wright. Ms. Hume-Wright leaves the association after 6 years. Barbara came to our Association at a time of great change and regeneration. Her quiet manner and sage advice has guided the Board of Directors. New and old members appreciate her patience, knowledge and ability to act quickly an efficiently at all times.

Released by the Region of Peel Police on June 19, 2008 at 23:19