Amherstburg town council met in-camera Monday evening to receive a report on potential policing options in the town moving forward.
The town was served notice by the City of Windsor of its intention to end the agreement that had the Windsor Police Service (WPS) providing policing in the town since January 2019.
The 20-year agreement was divided into four five-year segments and the terms stated that an 18-month notice of termination must be provided. Meaning WPS policing in the town would come to an end effective Dec. 31, 2028.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said that they felt providing the service was on the border of Windsorites subsidizing the provision of policing to Amherstburg, while leaving it open for renegotiation.
Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue said renegotiations aren't off the table but that it would prove difficult given the way they've been treated, adding they would not be held hostage.
"It was Drew Dilkens who came before and told us what a great deal it was, and convinced the council of that day to follow it, and he made those concessions to get us on board," he said. "So I don't know, this was his deal. If he doesn't like it now, he only has to look at himself."
Prue says the town is exploring a number of options including asking the Town of LaSalle if they would consider allowing Amherstburg to join their police force.
"We are going to go to the [Ontario Provincial Police] and ask for costing to see how much if we were to get an OPP established here," Prue said. "We're going to at the unlikely event, but it is possible, of reestablishing our own police force. That may be problematic because we would have to find 30 police officers, and they're very hard to find 30 brand new officers to come and start a new force."
Prue says he was not on Amherstburg council at the time the deal with Windsor was struck, but joined the chorus of those who were speaking out publicly against it over concerns of what would happen if the deal was cancelled.
"We no longer have a police force, we no longer have all the assets that go with that, the cars, the radios, everything," he said. "We no longer have the police officers, and what can we do? I mean we can negotiate with them and see how much more they want, but this is their contract, so I am reluctant."
Prue said the town would also reach out to the county to see if there's municipal interest in having a county police force.
He says talks are scheduled as early as next week but played coy when asked with who.
-With files from CTV Windsor's Robert Lothian