By: Thomas I. Likness
EBC News Service
(Eagle News) — Police forces in four major Ontario cities say they won’t be using the extra powers Premier Doug Ford granted them to enforce the province’s stay-at-home order.
As he announced new restrictions on Friday, Premier Doug Ford said enforcement would be stepped up.
“We have made the difficult and very necessary decision to give police and bylaw officers special authorities to enforce public health measures for the duration of the stay at home order,” Ford announced.
Under those powers, police will have the authority to require anyone outside of their home to explain their purpose for not being at home. As well, they can randomly stop vehicles and ask about an individual’s reason for not being at home.
But some police forces are publicly saying they have no intention of doing random stops.
“The Toronto Police Service will continue to engage, educate and enforce, but we will not be doing random stops of people or cars,” the department said Saturday on Twitter. “The Toronto Police Service will continue to engage and enforce equitably and effectively, recognizing always that we must inspire public trust.”
In the nearby Regional Municipality of Peel, the message was the same.
“I recognize the concern that this brings to our community as a whole,” Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said Saturday in a statement. “As chief of one of the most diverse communities in Canada, I would like to reassure our citizens that our officers will not be conducting random vehicle or individual stops.”
Hamilton police also say they will not conduct arbitrary vehicle stops.
“Enforcement efforts will be reserved for those individuals who disregard attempts to reduce this disease in our community,” the department said Saturday in a release. “(We) want to assure Hamilton citizens that our members will not be conducting arbitrary vehicle and person stops for the sole purpose of enforcing the stay-at-home order.”
And in the city of Windsor, on the Canada-US border, police say they will continue to focus on engaging the community, educating the public, and enforcing the public health orders in a fair and unbiased manner.
“Officers will not be randomly stopping people or vehicles,” the department said Saturday on Twitter.
The Ontario Provincial Police, however, says it will enforce the orders.
“OPP will be enforcing new measures to limit transmission of COVID-19 virus and variants,” the OPP said on Twitter. “Law enforcement now has the ability to ask anyone outside their residence, including motorists, to indicate their purpose for leaving home and provide their address.
There has been no response from the provincial government.
(Eagle News Service)